La Boulangerie: Baking at Home is the brand new cookbook just released by the Four Seasons' head pastry chef, Grégoire Michaud. The fourth book by our guest blogger, La Boulangerie is a cookbook aimed at home cooks attempting to master the foundation of French breadmaking at home. The book starts with a foundation section going over the basics of baking such as what types of flour to use (Michaud made sure that all the ingredients listed in his recipes can be found at a typical Hong Kong supermarket, rather than niche ingredients only found online or in speciality gourmet stores); leavening methods; and tips on kneading, shaping and proofing dough.

The book is then divided into three sections: the first one deals with sweet breads such as candied ginger pan d'oro, dark chocolate and sour cherry bread and pear fragipane brioche. The second section, whimsically titled "The Arrogance of Salt", offers recipes on savoury breads such as Portobello country bread; Gruyere and paprika twist and a striking tomato chilli pretzel. The final section gives recipes on classic breads including baguette, soda bread, ciabatta and pain de mie.

Michaud stresses that all the recipes in his new book have been tested and most will require at most an oven and either a mixer or "lots of arm muscles". As for the skill level required, Michaud deliberately included pictures of his adorable son Clément in the book, to show that even a child could accomplish the majority of the recipes provided.

La Boulangerie is available on Amazon, at local booksellers as well as at the Four Seasons' hotel boutique.

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Dim Sum Bar opened its doors in Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui recently. Open daily from 11am straight through to 11pm, Dim Sum Bar offers most traditional dim sum specialities such as the familiar pork and shrimp siu mai, steamed rice noodle cheung fun with shrimp, barbecued pork or scallop and steamed barbecued pork buns. However, there are also more modern and unusual items on the menus: we are keen to give the dumplings in lobster bisque; deep-fried dumpling with foie gras and shrimp; and the chocolate cream buns a go. To round out the meal, carb options include egg-fried glutinous rice and braised flat noodles with abalone sauce.

Shop G103, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel+ 852 2175-3100.

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For those of us who still remember the old Armani bar in Chater House, the new Armani/Aqua and Armani/Privé will come as a pleasant surprise when it opens tomorrow on August 24. Split into a restaurant (Armani/Aqua) on the left, which was where the old Armani bar was located; and a new bar (Armani/Privé), previously the location of the furniture store Casa Armani, this new space is absolutely huge.

The restaurant itself takes up 6,000 square feet but only seats about 140 guests, so diners are allowed the ultimate luxury in Hong Kong – space. The menu is split into Italian and Japanese, just like the Aqua in Tsim Sha Tsui. The two cuisines come from two different kitchens headed by two executive chefs, so there is no fear of any Italian-Japanese fusion creation coming down the kaiten-sushi bar.

Armani/Privé (nothing to do with the bar on Wyndham Street) is entered through the non-descript black doors and includes a chill-out area as well as a dance floor. The best part of the bar is accessed through the staircase on the right, which leads you to the best new alfresco bar in Hong Kong. Also 6,000 square feet and with stunning views of the brightly lit surrounding skyscrapers, the terrace is open from 4pm to 4am daily, making it both a fantastic venue to start an evening and to end it.

2/F Chater House, 8 Connaught Road, Central. Tel: +852 3583-2828.

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- We hear a lot about how to perfect the art of pairing wine with food. Here, we have an article on exactly what not to do. (Food and Wine) 

- We all know the unsavoury environmental consequences of farmed salmon as well as the scarcity of wild salmon: can this ethical salmon farm from the Faroe Islands be the answer? (Telegraph)

- The New York Times documents the many varieties of ketchup: from Heinz to local artisanal variants. (NYT)

- Jay Rayner reveals the one question you should never ask a food critic. (Guardian)

- The Telegraph introduces readers to the woman Heston Blumenthal left his wife for. (Telegraph)

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We've been a fan of the beautiful Bloom restaurant in LKF Tower in Central since it opened a year ago so we're thrilled to partake in their one-year anniversary celebrations. From August 15 to 31, the modern American restaurant will be offering a degustation menu of all their favourites. The dishes include a starter trio of seared sea scallop with corn puree, ahi tuna ceviche and salmon torte; a pasta course of their famous Bolognese with beef, pork and lamb, and the main course is a trio of Iberico pork loin, roasted salmon with foie gras and grilled beef prime rib on truffle mash. Make sure to save room for dessert, another trio of banana cream pie, triple chocolate tart and macadamia cookie. The menu is priced at HK$600 per person.

5/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St., Central. Tel: +852 2810-6166.

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