Within a Sky Full of Earth

The Michelin Guide is extending its reach into China with a new edition ranking dining destinations in Hong Kong and Macau for the first time.

The French bible of gastronomy featuring 251 restaurants and hotels in the two Chinese cities is Michelin's second guide outside Europe and the U.S. The debut Tokyo edition was published in November 2007, with eight restaurants receiving Michelin's highest three-star rating. Being a best-seller right in the first week.
Michelin awarded 40 stars to 28 restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau, and two venues got the top ranking. Lung King Heen in Hong Kong's Four Seasons Hotel received three stars, while the hotel's French eatery Caprice won two stars. Inspectors also decided Robuchon A Galera at Macau's Lisboa Hotel, owned by casino mogul Stanley Ho, was worthy of Michelin's highest award.
The team of 12 undercover inspectors, including two Chinese, have been in Hong Kong and Macau testing about 1,200 establishments since late 2007, said Michelin Guides Director Jean-Luc Naret. Michelin plans to expand the guide into other parts of China, Mr. Naret told a news conference in Hong Kong.

The guide, which will go on sale tomorrow, Friday the 5th of December, is published in both Chinese and English. Bloom will have it available at Bloom Yellow in St. Lazarus' Albergue and more close to you at Ou Mun Café, just on the heart of town, on the corner of Senado Square.

• NEWS ABOUT MICHELIN GUIDE HONG KONG AND MACAU
• OU MUN CAFÉ AT LONELY PLANET

A BOOK THAT COMES ON THE PERFECT TIME
Part cookbook—with more than 120 enticing recipes—part culinary history, part inquiry into the evolution of an industry, Milk is a one-of-a-kind book that will forever change the way we think about dairy products.

Anne Mendelson, author of Stand Facing the Stove, first explores the earliest Old World homes of yogurt and kindred fermented products made primarily from sheep’s and goats’ milk and soured as a natural consequence of climate. Out of this ancient heritage from lands that include Greece, Bosnia, Turkey, Israel, Persia, Afghanistan, and India, she mines a rich source of culinary traditions.
Mendelson then takes us on a journey through the lands that traditionally only consumed milk fresh from the cow—what she calls the Northwestern Cow Belt (northern Europe, Great Britain, North America). She shows us how milk reached such prominence in our diet in the nineteenth century that it led to the current practice of overbreeding cows and overprocessing dairy products. Her lucid explanation of the chemical intricacies of milk and the simple home experiments she encourages us to try are a revelation of how pure milk products should really taste.
The delightfully wide-ranging recipes that follow are grouped according to the main dairy ingredient: fresh milk and cream, yogurt, cultured milk and cream, butter and true buttermilk, fresh cheeses. We learn how to make luscious Clotted Cream, magical Lemon Curd, that beautiful quasi-cheese Mascarpone, as well as homemade yogurt, sour cream, true buttermilk, and homemade butter. She gives us comfort foods such as Milk Toast and Cream of Tomato Soup alongside Panir and Chhenna from India. Here, too, are old favorites like Herring with Sour Cream Sauce, Beef Stroganoff, a New Englandish Clam Chowder, and the elegant Russian Easter dessert, Paskha. And there are drinks for every season, from Turkish Ayran and Indian Lassis to Batidos (Latin American milkshakes) and an authentic hot chocolate.

This illuminating book will be an essential part of any food lover’s collection and is bound to win converts determined to restore the purity of flavor to our First Food.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Mendelson grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania in an area where small dairy farms were once common. In addition to Stand Facing the Stove (a history of The Joy of Cooking and its authors), she collaborated with chef-writer Zarela Martínez on three cookbooks exploring Mexican cuisine. She has written for Gourmet, Saveur, and The New York Times. Mendelson lives in northern New Jersey.

Milk, The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages, by Anne Mendelson
KNOPF • COOKING • HISTORY • HARDCOVER • OCT 2008

ORDER NOW!

Our great challenge at our new store, Bloom Yellow, is the wide selection of magazines we are bringing to Macau. You can check them at St. Lazarus or simply ask for a tittle throwing us an email, we can get access to hundreds of different titles in English, French, Italian, Spanish and German, you can get them either from special order or by subscription through out our counters. Of course Portuguese titles will come sooner or later.
Right now we bring you Cook's Illustrated. Published by Boston Common Press this magazine provides readers with recipes, cooking techniques, and product and food recommendations exhaustively developed in our extensive Test Kitchen facility - the same kitchen featured on our cooking show, America's Test Kitchen. Included are best ways to prepare favorite American dishes - from pot roast and chocolate chip cookies to grilled salmon and fruit cobbler. Best (and worst) cooking equipment - from chef's knives to cookie sheets. Best brands - from canned tomatoes to baking chocolate. Best cooking techniques - from brining shrimp to baking ham. And all of this is provided without a single page of advertising - just 100% cooking information.
On this issue learn the best way to preserve your natural ingredients in the fridge, keeping all its nutrients and flavours safe and in full shape.
[NOW AT BLOOM YELLOW]

At Bloom we like more food books than food itself. These type of books come in various forms and flavors. They spread their virulent fragrance around the walls infecting the other volumes and conquering the small world we live in.
In a triumphant return to the short story, the form in which she made her extraordinary debut with There Are Jews in My House, Lara Vapnyar gives us a delightful new collection in which food and love intersect, along with their overlapping pleasures, frustrations, and deep associations in the lives of her unforgettable characters.
From “Broccoli” to “Borscht” to “Puffed Rice and Meatballs,” each of these new stories invites us into the uniquely captivating private worlds of Vapnyar’s Eastern European émigrés. There’s Nina, a recent arrival from Russia, for whom the colorful abundance of the vegetable markets in New York represents her own fresh hopes and dreams... Luda and Milena, who battle over a widower in their English class with competing recipes for cheese puffs, spinach pies, and meatballs... Sergey, who finds more comfort in the borscht made by a paid female companion than in her sexual ministrations. Each of the women and men who inhabit these witty, tender, and beautifully observed stories needs and longs for the taste and smell of home, wherever – and with whomever – hat may turn out to be.
Russian in its wit and in many of its rich details, but American in its insistence on the quest for personal happiness, however provisional and however high the cost, Broccoli and Other Tales of Food and Love masterfully illuminates a very particular facet of desire with entirely charming results.
Published by Pantheon, an imprint of Random House US, with whom we are in honey moon since we opened, this is the perfect book to start with when you want to complete your most deep desire towards your favorite ingredient. Well, whatever. Soon, that's what we hope, we'll push Random House books better into Bloom. We'll keep you informed.

Broccoli and Other Tales of Food and Love, by Lara Vapnyar
Pantheon • Short Stories • Hardcover • June 2008

Kingfish with oranges, cloves and ginger

Nothing says Zanzibar like cloves! Since the introduction of the clove tree there in the eighteenth century, the production of cloves has been one of the island's most important sources of income, and since the end of the slave trade in the mid-nineteenth century, in fact, it has been the single most important industry. For a while, at the end of the 1880s, cloves made Zanzibar one of the wealthiest countries in the region, and Stone Town was the first city in Africa to be fully electrified.
This is one of my favorite modern Zanzibari dishes, inspired by one served by Masoud Salim and Judi Palmer at Archipelago restaurant in Stone Town. Judi is from that vast continent on the other side of the Indian Ocean, Australia, and the food at Archipelago manages to combine the contemporary influences of Australian cooking with the flavors of traditional Zanzibari cooking.
It's best to use a white game fish of some kind, such as kingfish, marlin, yellowtail, or swordfish, but you can use the fillets of any white firm-fleshed fish, such as halibut. If you want the sauce to be somewhat thicker in consistency, you can add a small pinch of cornstarch at the last minute and boil just until the sauce thickens. If you would like it richer, you can whisk in a small amount of butter just before serving. I like the clear flavors of the fish, orange, and spices and leave it as it is; although the sauce then looks short of perfect, the flavor is, in my opinion, best.
Serve with a simple salad and rice.

8-ounce white-fleshed fish fillets, such as kingfish
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cloves, plus 2 to 3 whole cloves
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, or more to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons oil, such as canola, plus more for panfrying
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger, or more to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
1 tablespoon butter (optional)


1. Wash the fillets and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with the ground ginger, ground cloves, and half the orange zest.
2. In a small pot, heat a small amount of oil and sauté the onion for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add the orange juice, fresh ginger, whole cloves, 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, and the rest of the orange zest and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, then reduce the heat and let simmer gently, uncovered, while you cook the fish. Taste the sauce every now and then, and remove the cloves if you feel that the clove flavor is getting too penetrating.
3. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the fish for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown, then turn and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. To test for doneness without ruining the appearance of the fillets, stick a fork into the thickest part of one fillet and hold it there for 10 seconds: the fork should come out warm. Or, if using an instant-read thermometer, the interior temperature should be about 160 degrees F.
4. Just before serving, bring the sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. If you want the sauce to be somewhat thicker, whisk in the cornstarch, return to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. If you want the sauce to be richer, whisk in the butter and remove from the heat.
5. Arrange the fillets on plates, pour the sauce over them, and serve.

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

TAKEN FROM
Where Flavor Was Born
Recipes and Culinary Travels Along the Indian Ocean Spice Route, by Andreas Viestad
Photographs by Mette Randem
CHRONICLE BOOKS • HARDCOVER • 288 PAGES • PUBLISHED AUG 2007

Com apresentação de Henrique Sá Pessoa e produção da Gill & Miller, o programa Entre Pratos foi a rubrica de culinária mais vista em Portugal. Transmitido aos domingos, no prime-time da RTP2, e mais tarde na RTPi, apresentou-se invariavelmente com originalidade e irreverência, de forma a aproximar o público dos segredos e da riqueza da gastronomia, tendo sido cada episódio subordinado a um tema; um jantar de amigos, uma reunião de família ou um jantar romântico. E foi ao final de duas séries que a equipa do Entre Pratos, a convite da Editorial Presença, pensou em registar em formato livro o conceito do próprio programa, nascendo desta parceria uma obra que se inicia como um verdadeiro apelo aos sentidos e acaba na celebração de uma festa de paladares. Aqui poderá encontrar compiladas todas as receitas da primeira série do programa, com mais alguns extras, acrescentados pelo chefe, sendo as iguarias preparadas de acordo com assuntos específicos: O patrão em sua casa; a invasão das crianças; bolsos vazios; o primeiro encontro; Hip-Hop; as coisas básicas; família, havendo ainda lugar para amigos vegetarianos e jantares de arrependimento, entre outras surpresas. Um livro que decerto vai revolucionar a maneira como olha para a sua cozinha.
Um título que a Bloom recomenda e que estará em breve em Macau. Enquanto isso pode deliciar-se pelo site to programa e desfrutar das suas exibições na RTPi.

O AUTOR
Henrique Sá Pessoa nasceu em Oeiras em 1976. É casado com a australiana Natalie Sá Pessoa e têm uma filha chamada Inês. Estudou no Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, em Pittsburgh, nos Estados Unidos, onde obteve um Associate Degree in Specialized Technology. Como Chefe começou a trabalhar no prestigiado Sheraton Park Lane, em Londres. Desde então passou pelo Sheraton on the Park, em Sidney, na Austrália, pelo Hotel da Lapa, em Lisboa, pelo restaurante Xarope, em Cascais, pelo restaurante La Villa, no Estoril, e pelo Bairro Alto Hotel, em Lisboa. Actualmente Henrique Sá Pessoa é chefe de cozinha do restaurante Panorama, no 27º andar do Hotel Sheraton Lisboa e Spa, onde delicia diariamente uma clientela variada.

Entre Pratos, de Henrique Sá Pessoa • EDITORIAL PRESENÇA • 2007
[EM BREVE NA BLOOM]

Charlotta making lasagna
With Mia above the clouds
Charlotta making lasagna
With Mia above the clouds
But you could have waited
You could have locked yourself up
For ten years or so
And when you finally came out
There would still be no chances for you
[THE KNIFE - LASAGNA • AUDIO ON YOUTUBE]

Make fish an exciting dish with one of these delicious recipes from around the world. From Salt and Pepper Squid and Japanese Sushi Cones to traditional Spanish Paella and Fisherman's Pie, "Fish" contains over 80 mouth watering classic and contemporary recipes. Learn everything you need to know to cook great-tasting fish, from buying to cleaning, gutting to filleting, plus simple preparation techniques that will guarantee success every time. Step-by-step photography, clear instructions and professional tips make cooking fish and seafood easy, and with delectable accompaniments such as Lemon and Caper Mash, Chunky Chips and Tartare Sauce, fish will be everyone's favourite.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction. Buying. Storing. Scaling. Gutting. Skinning. Scoring. Filleting. Boning. Preparing Shellfish and Seafood. Basic Recipes and Accompaniments. Fish Stock. Mayonnaise. Bechamel. Rouille. Herb Butter. Tartare Sauce. Crushed Minty Peas. Lemon and Caper Mash. Chunky Chips. Snacks and Light Meals. Beetroot, Sardine and Ricotta Salad. Tea-smoked Clams. Japanese Sushi Cones. Cherry Tomato and Red Mullet Tartlets. Soups and Stews. Prawn Bisque. Thai Mussel Soup. Zarzuela. Hake, Butterbean and Chorizo Stew. Spicy Squid and Chickpea Stew. The Main Course. Pan-fried Sea Bass with Fennel. Ginger Salmon with Asian Greens. Salt Cod Fritters. Roasted Herby Monkfish. Herrings with Spinach and Pine Nuts. Index and acknowledgements.

Fish, Over 80 Great Recipes, by Joanna Farrow • HAMLYN BOOKS • NEW RELEASE 2007

New at Apple isn't just the iMac, there is much more.
First is the new iLife 08. The package that includes photo, movie, music and web edition. It's a small piece of software that turns yourself easily into a multimedia expert. Mac software is so user friendly that just needs a second to get you started.
iPhoto automatically organizes your photo library and makes editing as easy as clicking your mouse. EVENTS is a new way of packing all your images in terms of storage and search, grouping your photos together. You can identify all your Events quickly by a name and poster photo (which is simple to change). It gets much more simple to find your best images and to print them into multi-output forms or to share them easily on the web. [WATCH VIDEO]
In addition you can use iMovies for video edition, completely redesigned to help you make movies in minutes and make a shortcut in time, working with video as intuitive as enjoying your photos. [WATCH VIDEO]
iWeb is just a great way to create your website exactly as you want and play your creations world wide at the top of your finger. [WATCH VIDEO]
Then comes Garage Band, your personal recording studio and a world apart. Music, podcasts and yourself on stage. Do I work for Apple? Is just what it seems. The truth is that we want to get into those toys. We want to have Apples at Bloom and turn your interactive experience as you never seen before. Why not to make a change and add an i to your life? [VIDEO FOR GARAGE BAND].
Don't forget to check the new online service, the .Mac Web Gallery, and the iDVD and you have the complete iFamily.

Ok, two more lines on the other update, the new iWork'08. Inside there's Keynote, for stunning cinema-quality presentations; there's Pages, the streamlined word processor for great publishing design; and the completly new Numbers, the revolutionary spreadsheet application from Mac. Try it! I assure you that your clients, your friends, your mom will be very proud, because your work will look much beauty fool™.

We'll keep informed about Apples at Bloom.

Estava escuro e eu estava à espera de alguém, na rua onde fica a minha casa. Um bairro com árvores e edíficios cúbicos, baixos. Quando digo escuro, a única coisa que se via era o meu isqueiro que estava aceso para iluminar uns papéis que tinha na mão. Um isqueiro ou uma luz a pilhas, daquelas de campismo. Já não me lembro. O que se ouvia era um pouco de frio húmido que passava e as minhas mãos a remexerem nos papéis. Que pareciam de rebuçado, mas não eram.
Pouco depois, do outro lado da rua, algures na escuridão, uma voz feminina, que trazia uma pistola e me queria matar. Falava com alguém ou sozinha. Parecia
que falava com o pai. E queria disparar para cima de mim. Do escuro, para a
minha presença iluminada por um isqueiro ou uma pilha feita de luz.
E disparou. Bang. Disparou seis vezes. E não acertou nenhuma. Porque eu me desviei. Ou porque talvez tivesse falta de pontaria.
E daí não sei bem, se me acertou. Se calhar acertou-me em cheio. Matou-me!
Só que eu ainda aqui estou, ainda consegui vir aqui contar a história, por isso talvez não esteja tão morto como isso. Talvez ainda esteja vivo e com coisas para fazer.
Lembro-me de a ouvir e a última coisa que ela disse foi: "Anda, este já está!"
Estava furiosa e queria matar todos os homens que se portam mal com as mulheres, pensei eu, mesmo assim pode ainda ter sido o que ela rugiu antes de desaparecer por completo. Era uma redentora, uma gurrilla girl. E eu conhecia-a de qualquer lado. A ideia da cara dela, no meio da escuridão, com aquela voz, não me era estranha. Ou mesmo o cheiro a molhado.
Não sei, posso estar errado.
[Escrito há muito tempo e encontrado aqui.]

Macau Restaurant
271 Ormeau Road, BT7 3GG, tel: 02890691800
Belfast - Ireland
Cuisine: Chinese

You Sum It Up!: ♥ ♥ ♥
Price: Reasonable
Food: Average
Service: Good


"I really wouldn’t recommend this restaurant. If I had wanted fast food with poor service I would have went to McDonalds. However the food or service is not a patch on the new fat Buddha which has more time for its customers and u don't mind paying the price because the food is definitely worth it unlike Macau."
JOSHUA H. / 28th January

"The Macau is the best chinese resturant ever. I come from Lisburn to get take aways they are so good. you never have a bad order, eveything is amazing.
It can be expensive but it is worth it and the service is amazing and the owner always greats you with a smile and talks to you about your day. shes the best ever. I would really recommend it. "
Alice / 26th January

"An absolutely fabulous restaurant. The food and staff are first class. Just love dining there. "
Leona / 16th January

"My first time in Macau and wouldn't recommend it. overpriced for the standard of service. The food was ok but a very rushed and unfriendly atmosphere."
Sam / 11th January

"Have been eating chinese cusine all of my life and would frquently dine in Macau Restaurant. I can appreciate were some of the reviews are coming from as I too have noticed a slipping of standards in the restaurant.
The food was fine but the service did not , meet its usually good standard. It did put me off going back I have to say."
Frank / 07th January

"Have been to Macau on several occasions and I am very surprised at some of the reviews. My husband and I usually go on a Sunday evening as we are in the restaurant trade ourselves and we have always found the food and service to be excellant, perhaps those of you who are complaining should stick to your local chinese takeaway as you clearly don't appreciate freshly cooked food with authentic flavour."
Fedup / 04th January

"Was in Macau before Christmas and it seemed very busy which could perhaps could explain the very rushed rushed atmosphere. marks out of 10 i'm afraid I'd have to give it a 4. "
Sueling / 28th December