Category Archives: Online

How to do Luxembourg National Day like a local

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 6th June 2014:

Luxembourg

When it comes to national celebrations, our neighbours on continental Europe really knows how to do it in style; Sweden has midsummer, France has Bastille Day and the Netherlands have Koningsdag. There is one country whose National Day has perhaps more visitors than inhabitants – the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Land locked Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in continental Europe but that makes it one of the most accessible. Much like the way the Queen has two birthdays, Luxembourg National Day is the Official Birthday of the Duke of Luxembourg. It’s always celebrated on the 23rd of June, with much of the festivities, including live music and fireworks taking place on the 22nd of June, making it a great time to visit the city.

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Weekend break: Four foodie things to do on Jersey

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 28th May 2014:

Jersey

Jersey, the British isle that’s closer to France than it is to Britain, is something of an underrated foodie destination.

(You can read my profile of one of the island’s most well-known chefs, Shaun Rankin, here)

Although it’s less than an hour’s flight away, it always seems like too far to go just to stay in Britain.

But with some of Jersey’s best known products at their peak, there’s no time like the present to visit this Channel Island. Here are some foodie suggestions:

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Swedish food? It’s about to get exciting

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 16th May 2014:

Meatballs from Meatballs for the People, Stockholm, Sweden

Thought Swedish food was all lingonberries, potatoes and meatballs?

Well, you’re sort of right.

According to a recent survey by Food & Friends, the most popular dish for Swedes is actually spaghetti Bolognese; meatballs don’t make an appearance until the 10th place. The rest of the top 10 dishes for Swedes is made up of some sort of protein, like meat or fish, with a rice, potato or pasta as a side.

You might think that the average Swedish home cooking is humble and rustic but you should know that Sweden is positioning itself to be a new gastronomic destination.

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Natural wine – it may not be what you expect

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 5th May 2014:

What is natural wine?

That is a topic of discussion which has plagued the wine industry for some time.

The advocates say that natural wines offer more flavour and, with fewer additives, it’s better for us. The naysayers, meanwhile, claim that there is no such thing as a natural wine and it’s a poor excuse for bad winemaking resulting in, more often than not, faulty wines.

The truth is, there is currently no legal definition of what natural wine is.

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World’s 50 Best Restaurants are revealed tonight but should you care?

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 28th April 2014:

Best restaurant in the world

Each and every year since the inaugural list was published in Restaurant Magazine in 2002, chefs, journalists and gourmands wait in hot anticipation for the announcement of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. From a lonely feature in a, perhaps, little known trade magazine in the hospitality industry, the awards have grown to be something well regarded and highly commercialised across the world.

Last year saw the launch of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants and the year before that was the first Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. It’s a beast of a list that has grown and grown and with it drew criticisms.

The first is of course, does anyone outside of the restaurant industry care?

Read more at Yahoo!