Lëtzebuerger Geméis

Luxemburg’s finest tasting vegetables

TEXT: LORENZA BACINO | PHOTO: LËTZEBUERGER GEMÉIS

The Kirsch family has been growing and selling vegetables throughout Luxembourg for five generations. “My great grandfather began farming in 1830 and my parents decided to concentrate only on vegetable production,” explains Claude Kirsch, who runs the current venture along with his parents.

Produce is grown across four hectares and in 3,000 square metres of greenhouses. “We produce over 20 types of salad,” says Claude, “including batavia, butterhead, oakleaf and six varieties of salanova.” Salad fillers, such as rucola, and Asian mizuna, which, according to Claude, tastes a bit like rucola and mustard, are also available.

Whatever can be grown in Luxemburg is found at this family farm. The cycle of the seasons ensures that customers will find a rich variety of vegetables all year. “We’re as close as we can to being fully organic. It’s important to respect the best time for things to be grown.”

The family maintains international contacts from whom recommendations on new types of vegetables are received. Do not hesitate to ask for advice on how to cook anything new. Everything is tried and tested at home first. “I encourage clients to try new things. Chilli, for example, you need to understand how to add it to recipes. I grow 15 varieties of chilli and some of the hottest in the world.”

More than 50 different varieties of pot herbs are sold to the retailer ‘La Provençale’, who sells them to restaurants, caterers and airlines within a range of 300 kilometres around Luxemburg.

The Kirsch family vegetable range can be found on Wednesday and Saturday mornings in Luxembourg’s main market in town. Customers can buy directly from the farm from mid-March to mid-December on Wednesday afternoons between 16h and 19h.

http://www.letzebuergergemeis.lu