Alpine News From January 30

The Hotel to Stay in this Week

Villa Flor, s-Chanf, Engadin

  • Unconventional, unique, and anything but ordinary - the Villa Flor in S-champ combines decades of tradition with artistic modernity. Art and nature lovers alike will find a very special home here, on the edge of the Swiss National Park.

Book here

The Restaurant to Try this Week

Klösterle, Zug, Lech

  • With a completely independent concept, the Klösterle has developed into a new culinary star on the Arlberg. Jakob Zeller and Ethel Hoon, who worked together as sous-chefs at Magnus Nielsson's legendary Swedish 'Fäviken Magasinet' for three years, want their kitchen to return to the fundamentals of a meal, which is about sharing time, conviviality and food. Their dishes draw on the culinary wealth of the Austrian Alps. They get their ingredients from selected producers in the immediate vicinity or they collect them themselves and, according to old tradition, preserve them for the winter.

The Store to Visit

Pensiun Aldier’s new in-house store in Sent in the Lower Engadin.

  • The owner produces various in-house food and beverage gems, like red and white vermouths, sloe gin (with local blackthorn berries), and Alpine bitters, all in a former bank branch in the village of Sent. There are Alpine jams, 12 varietals to be exact, which guests can enjoy at breakfast and take home from the shop. You’ll also find special nut cakes, homemade meringues, and new additions this winter of homemade terrines and rillettes. Lastly, you can make a whole feast if you decide to take home any of their local game. The main focus is on alpine meat from the region, which is unique in its quality.

The Recipe of the Week

Crêpes Suzette

Ingredients

  • For the Crêpes:
  • 1 cup (120 grams) of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water, minus 1 tablespoon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; plus more for the pan if needed
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Orange Syrup

  • 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
  • 4 ounces of brand-based orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier), divided

For Serving

  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Steps to Make It

  • In a big bowl, vigorously whisk the flour, milk, water, eggs, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, orange juice, orange zest, and salt until the batter is completely smooth. Allow the batter to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before making the crêpes.
  • Cook the Crêpes
  • Use some of the remaining melted butter to grease a crêpe pan, large skillet, or nonstick skillet. Heat up over low-medium heat.
  • Add 3 tablespoons of batter to the pan and swirl it until the bottom of the pan is covered with batter.
  • Cook the crêpe for 1 minute, or until the crêpe is slightly moist on top and golden underneath.
  • Loosen the edges of the crêpe, slide a spatula under it, and then gently flip it. If you don't have a spatula, use your fingers, or a fork, or carefully flip it in the air using just the pan.
  • Cook for 1 minute and transfer the cooked crêpe to a plate to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, lightly greasing the pan with melted butter every time. Set aside.
  • Make the Syrup
  • In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt half of the butter until it foams.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle half of the sugar over the melted butter.
  • Carefully add half of the orange liqueur. The mixture will ignite.
  • When the flame goes out, add each crêpe to the pan to coat both sides in the orange syrup.
  • Fold the crêpes into quarters or roll them up.
  • Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet, remove it from the heat, and add the remaining sugar and Grand Marnier.
  • For serving, place 1 or 2 crêpes per person on a plate, top with a scoop of ice cream, and drizzle with orange syrup. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

The Brand of the Week

Rier was founded by Andreas Steiner in Paris in 2019 to offer flawlessly decontextualized heritage luxury garments, in the spirit of Steiner’s native region of South Tyrol. With each collection, Rier reinvents the time-proof mountain garments that cradled his childhood in the Italian Alps.

The Wine of the Week

Chandra Kurt Humagne Blanche 2019 Valais, Switzerland

  • The Valais is the driest and warmest part of Switzerland viticulturally. A remarkable grape that almost became extinct. This is from clay, limestone, and gravel soils at 500-750 m. 6 months in stainless steel. Compact and textured with lovely intensity. This is mineral and taut with some yellow plum and pear fruit, with good acidity. It has a lovely acid line that runs through the dense fruit. Such a characterful and delicious white with good energy, and some saline hints.

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