CHINA DAILY Tuesday, June 6, 2017 Dining | LIFE 19 TOP COOKBOOKS TAKE A BOW

China hosts illiam Wongso seems like a Awards for China the Gourmand chef in a war zone. Peppered International withW the pops and splatters of At least a dozen people boiling coconut milk, howev­ and publications from China awards for er, Wongso is unfazed and grabbed awards in various relaxed. categories. Some highlights: the fifth time, “You need high­fat coconut milk to cook down for this,”he BEST AUTHOR & CHEF says to a cooking assistant Xu Long honoring pulled from the crowd, who is Xu is the longtime West­ trying to dodge the searing ern chef at the Great Hall of books, chefs, drops. “You want it to caramel­ the People. The award cele­ ize while the meat is cooking. brates his most recent book, TV hosts And no, the fire is not too high. Fragrance, his exploration of “Good coconut cream will the cuisines of Yunnan. Xu and more. explode like a volcano, or a lov­ was recently in an automo­ er, when the heat from the oil bile accident and was unable Mike Peters is right,”he grins as the air fills to attend the event. with the scents of fresh lemon­ reports in grass, kaffir lime leaves, fresh DESIGN turmeric and a flotilla of other Ounce Magazine, Taiwan Yantai, spices bobbing in the bubbling By Leslie Wang broth. An art publication that cap­ Shandong. Everyone nods sagely. After tures a different food culture in all, who’s going to argue with illustrations every quarter.“We the winner of Gourmand see every dining moment as a International’s 2017 best cook­ piece of art,”says the maga­ book award? zine’s Leslie Wang. Meeting in Yantai in Shandong province the night CHINESE CUISINE before, the culinary society A Chinese Street Food Odys­ The book A Chinese Street had crowned Flavors of Indo­ sey Food Odyssey (top) and chef nesia: William Wongso’s Culi­ By Helen and Lisa Tse Xu Long (above) are among nary Wonders ($29.95, Bab $29.95 (on Amazon and the winners of different Publishing Indonesia, availa­ Kindle) categories at the recent ble on Amazon) and The British­Chinese culinary event in Yantai. bestowed dozens of other authors became an internet awards on cookbooks, chefs sensation in China when and TV presenters. Flavors of Indonesia: William Wongso’s Culinary Wonders wins the Gourmand International’s 2017 they cooked for Premier Li wet markets — plus “This event started as a joke best cookbook award in Yantai, Shandong province. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Keqiang during his visit to intriguing interviews with at the Frankfurt Book Fair,” Britain in 2014. The Tse sis­ local noodlemakers, ceramic says a smiling Gourmand ters sweep readers with bowl painters, dried seafood International founder Edou­ them into the street food sellers, fish ball manufactur­ ard Cointreau. “We wanted cultures of China, vividly ers and dim sum chefs. The place where we could drink evoking the excitement, the classic Cantonese recipes Champagne with the foodie smells and the sounds of the are easy to prepare at home. crowd at the fair.” markets. From soft fluffy Adele Wong was the resident But the idea took on a life of bao, to hot fried chicken, dining columnist at HK Mag­ its own, and 22 years later, rep­ from piping hot bowls of azine and is now publisher of resentatives of about 60 coun­ noodles, to coal­roasted the lifestyle website The tries and regions have squid, delicate tea eggs and Loop HK. gathered in Yantai to exchange bubble tea, they bring the ideas, enjoy good food and adventure to your kitchen. BREAD gather for the awards dinner. Le Pain Passion “Twenty­two years ago, ASIAN CUISINE By Gerard Dubois cookbooks were not repre­ Hong Kong Food & Culture: The book was released in sented at Frankfurt and other From Dim Sum to Dried Aba­ November 2016 for the cele­ Twenty­two major book fairs,” says Coin­ William Wongso, celebrity chef lone bration of the 25th anniver­ treau. “Today, publishers in a from Indonesia. By Adele Wong sary of La Rose Noire years ago, very competitive food market HK$360; ManMoMedia Patisserie in Hong Kong, need them to be profitable.” Applauded by local top founded by Dubois. His lat­ cookbooks were The trends ride a couple of call me a health freak — I am chefs Alvin Leung and Rich­ est venture, Passion by Ger­ others in the marketplace: not interested in undrinkable ard Ekkebus, the book has ard Dubois, opened in 2012 not represented Consumers willing to go the superfood juices or weird and chapters ranging from tradi­ with a wide offering of at Frankfurt and extra mile for quality food, an wonderful workouts. I want to tional Chinese medicine, breads, cakes and sweets. obsession with Michelin­ live a ‘real’ life with ‘real’ food.” herbs and spices to Canton­ other major starred restaurants, and Natural food, she says in ese sauces, dim sum, and CHINADAILY hyper­busy professionals Yantai upon accepting the book fairs. rediscovering that both quali­ award, “is food that does my ty time and good eating can be body good, food that makes Today, publish­ found right in their own kitch­ me stronger and more ener­ ens. getic, and food that makes me asparagus in the oven; spin­ Israel re­created by the coun­ ers in a very “That book segment has not happy.” ach with tomato, turmeric and try’s master chefs, is also now been huge in China yet,” says A key guideline for her is feta; and cooked pumpkin being translated into English. competitive food Cointreau, “but China has Pure Pascale: Natural Food That Makes You Happy is the second­ combinations: “Do not com­ with bacon. Gourmand International market need been a very important market prize winner of the best cookbook competition. bine protein with carbohy­ Two books tied for third says all four of the top winners for rights and translations in drates,”she writes. place, each with a good story can claim the title “best in the them to be recent years. Cookbooks will Plates that are meat­plus­ behind it. The Nobel Prize world”, and retail copies will come behind that, in part if China catches up to that fig­ Second prize in the best vegetables, fish­plus­vegeta­ Cookbook, a joint project bear the award label. profitable.” because China is now pushing ure in five years. cookbook competition went to bles, cheese­plus­vegetables from Sweden, is devoted to Many of the winning cook­ food as a key reflection of its That’s why publishers and Pascale Naessens, a Belgian and carbohydrates­plus vege­ the recipes that have been books, including those pub­ Edouard Cointreau, culture.” authors from Brazil, South chef­author and TV host who tables are healthier choices, served at the Nobel Prize ban­ lished in English, Chinese Gourmand International He notes that the Chinese Africa, Ireland, France, Aus­ credits an early trip to China at easier to digest, have a slim­ quet and written by the best and other languages, will be founder are “of course the most numer­ tralia and myriad other coun­ the age of 22 for some of the ming effect, and result in eat­ chefs in the country. Now featured at the Beijing Inter­ ous group at the weekend tries are huddled in Yantai, inspiration for Pure Pascale: ing more vegetables and fewer available in Swedish, it will national Book Fair in event, larger than all foreign­ eager to claim a piece of the Natural Food That Makes You “unhealthy fast carbohy­ be translated into English August. ers combined”. market. Award winners cer­ Happy. drates” like pasta and pota­ soon, according to publisher The US market for cook­ tainly hope that their prizes “This is not a diet. I hate toes. Lots and lots of recipes Max Strong. Grandma Cooks Contact the writer at books is $1 billion annually, he will help lure rights deals now dieting!” she proclaims in the include salmon with thyme Gourmet, a collection of Holo­ michaelpeters@ says, and it will be no surprise or later. introduction. “Please don’t crust, tomatoes and green caust­survivors’ recipes from chinadaily.com.cn

TIPPLE TALK G&T’s have their day at HK master class event

By MIKE PETERS Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour in four half­tonics and garnishes. Hong Kong’s Landmark Atri­ Complimentary charcuterie Would a cocktail named um, for example, will host and cheese boards are available Satan’s Whiskers or Fallen three master classes for afi­ throughout the sessions. Angel make you feel a little cionados of the juniper­fla­ Reserve a spot by calling wicked? Does a proper gin vored elixir. Bar manager 852­2111­9449 or by emailing martini (and a smoking jack­ Gerry Olino says that after [email protected]. et) make you an incipient doing the mixing, guests can If you’re not in Dr. Fern’s James Bond? garnish their gin and tonics at neighborhood, your favorite Mixologists, such as Gerry Olino (left) and Edgar Santillan (right) from popular Hong Kong bars will step behind the bar and serve up their Perhaps not, but as a sophis­ the DIY garnish station while bar — posh or funky — will be own concoctions. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ticated gin drinker, you doubt­ nibbling on ingredients that eager to help you cool down a less know that “sapphire” is will cleanse the palate. The hot night with the fresh taste not a stone, and that a “dou­ speakeasy is known for show­ of a classic gin and tonic. the garnish. If you really want has been so trendy it’s already Sipsmith London Cup & Bel­ classic negroni with Bulldog ble” gin is one that is re­dis­ casing premium gins with Opus Bar at the Four Sea­ to go wild: Personalized ice passe, think again. sazar Rose; El Santo Negroni Gin, Campari and Cinzano. tilled twice. But did you know expertly made cocktails, sons Beijing, for example, cubes shaped in the initials of Negroni Week has returned with Sipsmith gin, Cynar, On Wednesday and Thursday that every June 10 is World claiming Hong Kong’s biggest offers comfy, oversized sofas the drinker will give this clas­ to Hong Kong’s hip Jinjuu Campari, Pierde, Almas Mez­ nights, mixologists from oth­ Gin Day? collection with over 250 gins on its newly opened terrace, sic drink a fun touch — and bar, and bar boss Edgar San­ cal and Ocho Reyes chili er popular Hong Kong bars You may not need a formal from around the world. and tailor­made drinks creat­ generate some WeChatter tillan will serve up four spe­ liqueur; Rose of Sharon will step behind the bar and occasion to start mixing a Master classes are at 3 pm, ed from over 25 kinds of pre­ when you post the photo. cial versions ($HK100 each), Negroni with hibiscus­in­ serve up their own concoc­ G&T, but gin lovers will find 4:30 pm and 6 pm, priced at mium gin with three kinds of including Bokgroni with bok fused Hwayo 25 soju, Cocchi tions. Proceeds go to various some interesting ways to raise HK$500($64)perperson.Each tonic water and flavored with Negroni week choy infused Glendalough Rosa, Aperol, Campari, lemon charities of the bartenders’ their game on Saturday. ticket includes four gin flights, any of 10 flowers or herbs as If you thought the negroni gin, Cocchi Torino, Campari, bitter and lemon leaf; and a choice.