The whole gang congregated upon Enfield for a Chinese New Year's celebration and feast that stretched out for two days and forced everyone into stretchy pants due to the copious amounts of eating that we undertook. We ate and we ate and we ate, it was crazy! But it was also so lovely to come together and celebrate something a little different, festive and fun.
This year is 'The Year of the Tiger', which happens to be my Chinese astrological sign so it was a little 'extra' celebratory for me. Chinese New Year has become quite a tradition in our home. Generally, we do something every year to celebrate this event. We all love to read about our Chinese horoscopes, feast upon an array of Chinese goodies and get together in February for a relaxed time in the mellow warmth of late Summer.
This year the cuisine went above and beyond and saw Craig and I preparing components the evening before and well into the next evening. It was over 24 hours of prep and cooking! In fact it was such a huge effort and undertaking that I have flat out refused to cook at all today because I am just all cooked out for a little while now.
Here's what we managed to come up with all on our own for a mighty Lunar New Year feast:
DRINKS AND NIBBLES:
Melon and coconut cocktails
Peach and Raspberry Iced Teas
Aloe Vera Water
Milk tea
Shrimp jerky
Prawn crackers
Panda biscuits
Coconut biscuits
Ball cakes
ENTREES:
Prawn gyoza
Veggie Spring Rolls
Mini Beef Dim Sums
Coconut and Lime Panko Prawns
MAINS:
Char Sui Smoked Pork
Sticky Chicken and Trout
Special Fried Rice
Prawn and Mushroom Udon Noodles
DESSERTS:
Coconut Milk Junket
Fresh Mango
Raspberry Jelly
Mango and Green Tea Pocky
Fortune Cookies
Now can you see why we needed stretchy pants and I cannot bring myself to enter the kitchen today? Hardly surprising that we were still eating Chinese food the next day right? It was a mammoth amount of food, and of course there are still a lot of leftovers to enjoy over the coming days because it was such a huge feast.
But what a delightful celebration! Sure the food is amazing, and we are very fortunate to be in a position that we can have such an extravagant spread at our home - that alone is great cause for celebration. However, it is mostly about having the opportunity to gather the whole family together for a shared meal and experience that makes these kinds of events something to cherish and appreciate; especially when we have had to have so much time apart over the last few years because of the pandemic restrictions.
It's wonderful to share time together and be in the good company of those that we love most and I think that is what I like most about celebrating Chinese New Year as a family.
This year is 'The Year of the Tiger', which happens to be my Chinese astrological sign so it was a little 'extra' celebratory for me. Chinese New Year has become quite a tradition in our home. Generally, we do something every year to celebrate this event. We all love to read about our Chinese horoscopes, feast upon an array of Chinese goodies and get together in February for a relaxed time in the mellow warmth of late Summer.
This year the cuisine went above and beyond and saw Craig and I preparing components the evening before and well into the next evening. It was over 24 hours of prep and cooking! In fact it was such a huge effort and undertaking that I have flat out refused to cook at all today because I am just all cooked out for a little while now.
Here's what we managed to come up with all on our own for a mighty Lunar New Year feast:
DRINKS AND NIBBLES:
Melon and coconut cocktails
Peach and Raspberry Iced Teas
Aloe Vera Water
Milk tea
Shrimp jerky
Prawn crackers
Panda biscuits
Coconut biscuits
Ball cakes
ENTREES:
Prawn gyoza
Veggie Spring Rolls
Mini Beef Dim Sums
Coconut and Lime Panko Prawns
MAINS:
Char Sui Smoked Pork
Sticky Chicken and Trout
Special Fried Rice
Prawn and Mushroom Udon Noodles
DESSERTS:
Coconut Milk Junket
Fresh Mango
Raspberry Jelly
Mango and Green Tea Pocky
Fortune Cookies
Now can you see why we needed stretchy pants and I cannot bring myself to enter the kitchen today? Hardly surprising that we were still eating Chinese food the next day right? It was a mammoth amount of food, and of course there are still a lot of leftovers to enjoy over the coming days because it was such a huge feast.
But what a delightful celebration! Sure the food is amazing, and we are very fortunate to be in a position that we can have such an extravagant spread at our home - that alone is great cause for celebration. However, it is mostly about having the opportunity to gather the whole family together for a shared meal and experience that makes these kinds of events something to cherish and appreciate; especially when we have had to have so much time apart over the last few years because of the pandemic restrictions.
It's wonderful to share time together and be in the good company of those that we love most and I think that is what I like most about celebrating Chinese New Year as a family.
CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON
Release Date: 2000
Rating: M
Running Time: 120 mins
An American-Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production, directed by Ang Lee and based on the fourth novel of the Chinese Crane Iron Pentalogy by Wang Dulu. Created on a budget of $17 million, the film went on to become an international success, grossing over $213 million and winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, four BAFTA'S and two Golden Globes.
Set in 19th Century Qing Dynasty China, an accomplished Wudang swordsman (Chow Yun-Fat) intends to give up his warrior life and entrusts his sword - the Green Destiny, to Yu Shu Lien, a woman that he has a fondness for. He asks that she transports the sword to Beijing, to pass it along to a friend of theirs, however, before Yu can deliver the sword, it is stolen by a mysterious thief and an action-packed chase begins.
This is a crowd pleasing martial arts film, there is a good mix of action, clever storytelling, romance and magic. It's a visual feast for the eyes with beautiful backdrops and landscapes, and loads of mythical choreographed martial arts fights scenes that defy gravity and reality. You don't need to like martial arts to love this movie, it's covering a lot of bases and there is something here for everyone's tastes, it's an epic like no other.
FINAL SAY: Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit.
4 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 2000
Rating: M
Running Time: 120 mins
An American-Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production, directed by Ang Lee and based on the fourth novel of the Chinese Crane Iron Pentalogy by Wang Dulu. Created on a budget of $17 million, the film went on to become an international success, grossing over $213 million and winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, four BAFTA'S and two Golden Globes.
Set in 19th Century Qing Dynasty China, an accomplished Wudang swordsman (Chow Yun-Fat) intends to give up his warrior life and entrusts his sword - the Green Destiny, to Yu Shu Lien, a woman that he has a fondness for. He asks that she transports the sword to Beijing, to pass it along to a friend of theirs, however, before Yu can deliver the sword, it is stolen by a mysterious thief and an action-packed chase begins.
This is a crowd pleasing martial arts film, there is a good mix of action, clever storytelling, romance and magic. It's a visual feast for the eyes with beautiful backdrops and landscapes, and loads of mythical choreographed martial arts fights scenes that defy gravity and reality. You don't need to like martial arts to love this movie, it's covering a lot of bases and there is something here for everyone's tastes, it's an epic like no other.
FINAL SAY: Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit.
4 Chilli Peppers
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