A Taste of Chinese New Year
Hosted by Ming Goh and Rosemary Chin
Margaret Cheng wrote…” What a pleasure it was to celebrate Chinese New Year in authentic style at Ming’s beautiful home. We entered between auspicious calligraphy panels, past the lions to a feast surrounded by red, gold and cherry blossom, listening to the gentle flow of water. Serene, beautiful and calming. The food was plentiful and never stopped coming. MCG members made dumplings in different styles and flavours, there were desserts and cookies aplenty and glorious Chinese tea. A special treat was the ‘Nian Gao’ the Chinese New Year cake. A sweet and sticky, glutinous centre, rolled in fresh coconut to create a flavour that was balanced and harmonious…The Year of the Dog is off to a great start! “
Truly it was! The February Enak! was such a wonderful pre-celebration of the Chinese New Year. One could hear the laughter and string of Good Luck Wishes that came with the many Tossing of Yee Sang, the Good Luck Salad.
Xei xei to Ming Goh for opening up her ‘ Dream’ home to us. Dori says, “… It was truly a one-off experience and I feel very lucky indeed that I could look behind the walls.
Our celebrating Enakkers had contributed generously the delicious traditional food and cookies. Christina Jokelo sent us bags of delicious home-made dumplings. She added… “Normally in China we make the dumplings on the eve before the 1st day after we have had the reunion dinner. Family will get together and make dumplings for the next day… the tradition I have grown up with…. it symbolizes fortune and good luck. There are times we will put a coin or chocolate in one dumpling. Whoever gets it is the lucky one!”
Submitted by Rosemary