discover the five new Master Origin coffees

Blueish scales, a long, pointed snout, and serpentine lines: what even is it? In one fluid motion, Filip Claeys slices the fish along its length, fillets it without batting an eyelid, and then solves the mystery. “It’s a needlefish, one of the North Sea’s ‘May fish’. They are only caught during this very short period. And more often than not they are thrown back into the sea, because they aren’t seen as quality fish.” Owner of two Michelin stars, Filip Claeys could have restricted himself to the traditional register of luxury products. However, upon his return from a trip to Japan, where the chef from Bruges discovered how important local produce was to the local people, he began to question his principles. “I was working like a cowboy, with barely a thought for the impact of my choice of products. I started again from scratch, changed my menu and the ingredients I used.” The result? A 40% drop in business. But the chef was determined. He launched the North Sea Chefs project, and was soon joined by 15 more Belgian chefs.
“We only work with fish from the North Sea, depending on what the fishermen bring in that day, and we pay a fair price. We adapt to them. It

is up to us to set an example, so that the fishermen can keep making a living and consumers can learn to eat other fish. My menu no longer features farmed fish: no more tuna, no more ray, no more cod.” Customers eventually returned to the De Jonkman restaurant, in greater numbers than before. And Filip Claeys has come to symbolize Belgian gastronomy that has lost nothing of its craft while showing the way to sustainability and flavour.

A born globetrotter, Stéphane Longlune has travelled to the four corners of the globe. But fate is determined that every arrival marks the beginning of a new journey. On his knees surrounded by his five hectares of crops, he describes his career as his hand rests on a green asparagus, whose stem he severs with a quick, surgical incision. “I’ve worked in some very different fields before, but in 2005 at the age of 37, I wanted to return to the land. I was already living on the farm with my family, but the fields remained bare. I started everything from scratch. It had nothing to do with a mid-life crisis. I had a profound desire to create something real.” Everyone else grows white asparagus? He mostly works with green asparagus. It is the same species, harvested once it has sprouted above the ground. There are no biodynamic vegetable farmers in Belgium? Stéphane is the first Belgian market gardener to do so. Everybody uses machinery? He does his weeding by hand. Everyone plants asparagus in sandy soils? He uses silty soil with veins of clay: it is harder to work but gives his vegetables more flavour. And then, as the spring sun settles on his little acre where doze the little treasures in hot demand from the

very best Michelin-starred restaurants (Hof van Cleve, Le Chalet de la Forêt, Bouchéry, to name but a few), he admits that he almost ended up here by chance, because organic was not advanced enough for him. He tells us about his cow horn manure, a special kind of compost made from manure buried all winter inside a cow’s horn, and compost enriched with herbs. And we think that chance has nothing to do with it.

> Rue du Grand Caillou, 7050 Jurbise

www.legumesalaferme.be

A wonderful winemaking region that has been somewhat forgotten over time, occasionally distorting its assets to create cheap, badly dressed crus. In these troubled waters, a man swims against the current, tracing his own joyful, harmonious path. A local boy from a winemaking family, Abi Duhr laid the foundations of his irreproachable expertise in Bordeaux. Classical training which taught him one thing: there are no miracle recipes. Able to alternate between the principles of biodynamics and traditional techniques, he displays an empathy for the Luxembourg terroir that makes him hard to pigeonhole, and lets him create perfectly balanced wines. A strong bouquet and striking freshness are the hallmark of his superb white wines, especially his classic Rieslings. On the steep slopes of his last acquisition, planted with Riesling, he strolls amongst the vines, lifting the young shoots to guide them towards the light. “Healthy, ripe grapes are the basics. That’s not to say you’ll make a great wine. But you can’t do anything without them. I think you need to be a bit lazy: not to rush in when it’s not really needed. Expertise becomes useful when the problems start.”

The wind in his hair, overlooking the Moselle, his Moselle, he smiles a smile as charming as his wines. The smile of a magician.

> 73, route de Trèves, 6793 Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

saffron has long been grown in our fields, before disappearing in favour of less demanding crops. All that was needed was plenty of passion and a drop of madness to bring crocus sativus back into bloom in autumn, the flower whose stamens produce the precious red spice. In 2012, Linda and Marc Leloup-Van den Bulck made their first harvest. It weighed in at barely 3g, but provided immediate confirmation: the quality was far higher than average. Sitting at the table on their farm in Herentals, the historic capital of Campine, Marc is patiently sorting the saffron stamen: work that is both delicate and meticulous.
“We just take out the red bit, the bit that contains the flavour. The orange base of the stamen is often left in low quality saffron. It’s got no flavour, but it adds weight...” At €35/g, you can understand why people would cheat. But for Linda and Marc, standards have always been more important than financial considerations. They developed their own cultivation techniques, similar to biodynamics, which help the soil’s micro-organisms to develop perfectly. Respect for ecosystems, no pesticides:

the terroir finds its fullest expression. And it expresses itself through saffron with subtle yet deep flavours, plucked by the greatest chefs (such as Seppe Nobels at Graanmarkt 13 and Bart Gils at Signatuur) and used to flavour derivative products, including the outstanding SFFRN London Dry Gin, artisan nougat, and homemade syrup.

> Leefdaalstraat 14, 2200 Morkhoven (farm tours by appointment)

www.belgischesaffraan.be

Their heavy hooves leave furrows in the sand, before kicking up clouds of spray in the surf. Perched atop the dense shoulders of his Belgian draft horse, Johan Vanmassenhoeve plies the ancient trade of horse fishing, as generations have done before him. “Once, people fished like this all along the North Sea coast, from France to the Netherlands. Now, here, in Coxyde, is the only place where we still do artisanal horse fishing. We are also listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.” Two planks of wood with an adjustable angle are attached to a 15m net. Drawn by horse, the planks separate as they move through the swell, opening the net. It nimbly rakes the sand, its 7m mouth swallowing up the grey shrimp that are the envy of the world. From getting the horses ready to work to sorting the shrimp, and including the three passes through the sea at low tide, it takes Johan Vanmassenhoeve at least eight hours to complete a single fishing run. It is hard work, but it pays off. Unlike shrimp caught by fishing boats, these pure, natural shrimp are spared any treatments to preserve them,

and the sea is spared any further pollution.

> Digue de Coxyde, 8670

www.visitkoksijde.be

That’s where Tom Cools has set up his Italian delivery bike today, killed out as a real wheeled café–bar and stools included. And it has already been two years since the man from Antwerp, one of the best representatives of the new generation of baristas, started his own business. It is a new life for this 40-something, after years working in the music industry. Tom Cools perfects every one of his creations, and today he gives the Master Origin Indonesia a fine stage with his mapleccino, a cappuccino with a dash of maple syrup.
THE TOM COOLS TASTING NOTES “With its notes of tobacco leaves and young wood, my recipe accentuates its complexity with maple syrup. The density of Master Origin Indonesia in the cup and its rich aromas guarantee the perfect balance. And the final touch of sweetness through cinnamon completes the picture, for a deliciously decadent ensemble. With a Nespresso Creatista, my favourite coffee machine, it couldn’t be easier to make it at home.”

Imagine a shop dedicated to coffee that invited you along on a unique adventure. In June, Nespresso opened the doors to its new store in Leuven. The concept? A whole new kind of journey curated by specialists, with tastings and workshops spread across three spaces. The senses are greeted first as you discover, smell, and touch the coffees. Then, at the bar, you get to see the Nespresso coffee machines and accessories, all ready for a tasting from a selection of 25 coffees sculpted to your own tastes. Lastly, in the Lab Kitchen, a barista reveals the secrets to customizing your latte, macchiato, and another cappuccino (a master class can be booked in addition to extend the experience). Recycling collection point, coffee grounds on the 100% sustainably sourced wood table tops, cutting edge technology to reduce water and energy use: this new space also expresses Nespresso’s commitment to sustainable development. Next up, two renewed Belgian stores are set to open in Antwerp and Liège.

Often rooted in tradition, and always prudent, artisans embody a profound respect for the nature of things. They reflect the very definition of sustainability, valuing every aspect of our environment. This philosophy is central to the production of each of the new Nespresso Master Origin coffees. It is a range that pays tribute to the men and women whose hard work turns coffee beans into something bursting with flavour. It is an ode to the craftsmanship that enables them to harness the complexities of the natural world, revealing the unique flavour of their soils.
The late harvest that brings out the vibrant red berry flavours of the Master Origin Colombia, the natural drying process that distils the floral aromas of the Master Origin Ethiopia, the wet shelling that enhances the pleasant flavours of the Master Origin Indonesia, the Monsooning that uncovers the spiced woodiness of the Master Origin India, and the “black honey” process that gives the Master Origin Nicaragua its honeyed, cereal notes; people are behind all of these expert techniques. And they are also what this new issue of What Else? is all about. Close to our hearts, they find resonance with other activities, other crafts: the last of the North Sea shrimp fishermen, safron finding its way back to our fields, Filip Claeys’ efforts as a chef to protect marine life, the amazing asparagus from Stephane Longlune’s visionary market garden, or the uncompromising wines from Moselle Abi Duhr... These are just a few examples of a Belgian-Luxembourgish lifestyle that is still very much alive, combining elegance and gourmet cuisine.