 Dear Reader, Monocle's new sister publication Konfekt launches this week and you can still be among the first to read its handsome pages by ordering your copy today. The quarterly is packed with stories on sharp dressing, drinking, dining, travel and design – all brought together with wit, wisdom, warmth and a decidedly Mitteleuropean viewpoint on the world. It's a magazine about hosting conversations and hearing new perspectives too. For a taste of what readers can expect from issue 1, we've cooked up a tasting menu of stories to entice you. We hope you enjoy them. Sincerely, The Konfekt team  1.
Accessories / Vienna
You go on a head  Issue 1 of Konfekt is chock full of fashion finds from small ateliers and visionary designers in less obvious corners of Europe. This isn't fast fashion or trend-chasing, our focus is on buying once and well. We concentrate on clothes, jewellery and accessories made with honesty, integrity and style. Picking one item to set the tone was no easy feat but we're taken with this cashmere Omar turban made by Viennese milliner Mühlbauer. Though turbans are traditionally knotted at the front and tied by hand using many metres of fabric, this less fussy design can be pulled on like a handsome hat. The firm was established in 1903 by Julianna Mühlbauer and fourth-generation Klaus is now, in our opinion, the head of the pack.
muehlbauer.at  2.
Fashion road trip / South Tyrol
Rier window  Where and how our clothes are made matters. With this in mind we met Tyrolean designer Andreas Steiner in his apartment-cum-showroom in the heart of the Marais in Paris before embarking on a road trip to his native northern Italy to understand the craftspeople, see the Alpine ateliers and meet the makers that inform his work. In each stitch of his cable-knit sweaters, loden coats and belts embellished with peacock feathers we unpick the story of a designer committed to updating age-old crafts with modesty and respect – and sample our fill of South Tyrolean food and wine along the way. Buckle up, it's a beautiful ride.  3.
Residence / Stockholm
Making an entrance  Even in a Stockholm neighbourhood filled with stately buildings, Grevgatan 13 is an impressive place. One reason is that in the late 1800s it was designed with a grand entrance to receive horse-drawn carriages en route to the courtyard stables. "I fell in love with the entrance," says Emma Ohlson, who has lived in an apartment on the third floor with her husband Andreas and their children, Fredrika and Oskar – not to mention their chocolate lab Cosmo – for the past six years. "I immediately thought, 'This is what I want to come home to.'" From the hall, softly lit by brass lanterns, the rooms of the Ohlsons' apartment unfurl like the folds of a fan: kitchen to the right, living room straight ahead, dining area to the left. The high ceilings give poise to the rooms while the old, slightly imperfect glass in the windows creates a dreamy lustre throughout. "As the dark months come around, most Stockholmers stay indoors," Ohlson explains. "Perhaps that's why we spend so much money and time on our homes – to feel snug and comfy when we have to hide away until spring." You'll discover more about better living in every issue of Konfekt.  4.
Reportage / Alexandria
Coptic Christmas  Issue 1 of Konfekt might have a European perspective but we've also looked further afield for powerful stories of food, culture, strength and inspiration. We join a Coptic family in Alexandria for Christmas to understand the role that food plays in their culture and how this female-led gathering reflects the challenges of the Mediterranean metropolis. We arrive at the Yazbek family home as its matriarch, 84-year-old Aida, recalls the city's heady heyday while feeding her family, stuffing pigeons and baking a creamy semolina cake at their downtown home. The city, she tells us, has lost much of its cosmopolitan verve but the family's festive spirit remains strong and hope for a brighter future remains. Now, who's hungry for molokhia (garlic soup, a speciality in these parts) and a glug of white wine? It's time to take your place at the table.  5.
Recipe / Zürich
Marie-Hélène's apple pie  Last up, a sweet treat (after all, Konfekt is a rather lovely German word for confectionery). For the past 28 years, Swiss chef Richard Kägi has travelled the world in search of the finest culinary experiences and ingredients working as a scout for food firm Globus. For Konfekt he cooked up a seasonal feast of roasted pumpkin soup, an ingenious riff on Brussels sprouts, a saddle of veal and Ghackets mit Hörnli (an Alpine macaroni dish with minced meat). Here we share his simple take on a universally adored staple: apple pie. "The use of different apple varieties is the trick for this extremely light cake. Each variety behaves slightly differently when baked. Some become sweeter and collapse, others remain structured and firm," says Kägi. "This makes the cake interesting without crumble, nuts or the addition of cinnamon. It also means that it tastes a little different every time – but always great. Add a little bit of lightly whipped cream, or vanilla or cinnamon ice-cream on top." Enjoy. Ingredients: 100g plain white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
4 large apples (you could try one each of braeburn, boskoop, golden delicious and pink lady, or mix other varieties that you have to hand)
2 large eggs
150g caster sugar
3 tbsps dark rum such as Zacapa
½ tsp vanilla extract
120g butter, room temperature Method: 1.
Preheat the oven to 175C. Cover a tray with baking paper or a silicone mat and butter a springform pan that has a diameter of about 20cm. 2.
In a bowl, combine the white flour with baking powder and salt. Peel, core and quarter the apples, and cut into large pieces of about 3cm to 4cm. Put them aside. 3.
Beat the eggs in the food processor until they become frothy, add sugar and continue stirring for 1 minute. Add rum and vanilla extract, then stir in half the flour. Once everything is incorporated, add half of the melted butter, then add the remaining flour and butter. Make sure that you mix in every addition very slowly. The result should be a thick, creamy dough. 4.
Mix in the apple pieces and stir with a spatula until all are covered with dough. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and smooth the surface with the spatula. Place the pan on the prepared baking tray and put it in the oven. 5.
Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes until the surface turns golden brown. The cake is ready when a fork can be inserted into the centre and pulled out without any dough residue. 6.
Remove from the oven. Leave the cake to cool in the springform pan for 5 minutes. Use a knife to cut along the inside to stop it sticking, then carefully remove the ring from the pan. The cake tastes best when it's still warm.  For the full versions of these stories and much much more besides buy the launch issue of Konfekt, which is out this week. You can also sign up here to receive Konfekt Kompakt, our bi-weekly newsletter, which launches in early December, and listen to our podcast Konfekt Korner. Images: Trisha Ward, Bea De Giacomo, Felix Odell, Roger Anis, Lukas Lienhard. Styling: Kyoko Tamoto. Model: Eve Tramunt | 
