LUXEMBOURG

READ

I was afraid I might have trouble finding a book from Luxembourg that had been translated into English. Ann Morgan, the woman who inspired this project, had a terrible time finding something to read from Luxembourg, and ended up reading an unpublished manuscript that had been sent to her by the author.

Fortunately, my Internet search turned up a link to Black Fountain Press, a Luxembourg publishing house that was established in 2017 for the express purpose of publishing works by Luxembourgish authors who are writing in English. There weren’t any novels on their website, but there was a book of short stories – On the Edge – written by Black Fountain Press co-founder Anne-Marie Reuter. When I first contacted Anne-Marie about purchasing a copy of her book, the Covid-19 pandemic was raging in Europe and it was impossible to get the book shipped to me. When things opened up a bit, Anne-Marie was kind enough to send me a copy of On the Edge as a gift.

On the Edge is a collection of stories about people who have been pushed by life’s circumstances to a place far outside their comfort zones. Among my favorites:

·       “Stalking” introduces a man sitting in his car in a school parking lot. He’s unhappy about his divorce and his role as weekend parent, so he drives to the school every afternoon just to catch a glimpse of his children as they leave the building when classes are over.

·       “Ray for Raymond” is a cautionary tale about an accountant who is very concerned with appearances. But then he has to tell his wife and daughter that they have all been living beyond their means.

·       “Miss Gina” is a poignant story of an elderly housekeeper who has worked for the same family for years and whose happiest hours are those she spends at work.

·       One faux pas at a dance class in “Pas de Deux” causes a family to unravel.

The stories in On the Edge offer brief glimpses into the lives of a variety of characters, capturing a moment, a day, or, in some cases, many days as they wrestle with whatever it is that has pushed them to the edge. I enjoyed reading short stories for a change, with so much feeling packed into just a few pages. Many thanks to Anne-Marie for sharing her beautiful writing with me.

COOK

In searching online for a Luxembourgish dish to prepare, I found the Anne’s Kitchen website, which is chock full of Luxembourgish recipes. I decided to try making her Wäinzoossiss sausage rolls without, of course, using Wäinzoossiss sausage. I substituted Beyond Sausage Brats, used a puff pastry with no animal products, and brushed the tops with Just Egg thinned with almond milk. These turned out to be some pretty tasty little morsels, and so easy to make. 

GIVE

Since Anne-Marie had given me her book at no cost, I asked if she would like to recommend an organization in Luxembourg to receive my donation. She chose Stëmm vun der Strooss, which works with homeless people, the unemployed, low-income people, former prisoners, asylum seekers, immigrants, and people with mental disorders or drug/alcohol dependencies. They provide a variety of goods and services, including food, clothing, counseling, and medical care. More information about Stëmm vun der Strooss is available on their website or their Facebook page.

 

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