2010 Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner Menu

Every Chinese New Year her children seemed able to predict my mom in law's menu for the reunion dinner. Sorry to say that the predicament we had for CNY reunion dinner is always impressed on her to size-down the menu but she has never failed to understand this. We nobly reminded her of the world famine -save food, have just enough and no leftover (ahem!!)

Well...for this year and like many many past years, we told her not to cook so much and cut down the portion on main courses. Yet and again she never failed to fill-up the table.  "Must cook more for new year, it signifies abundance of food," she exclaimed. Interesting enough every CNY reunion, the dinner would not be complete without few of her signature dishes, the "what -she-claimed-must-have" for Hokkien people's new year. The favourite four are stewed pig's trotter with sea cucumber and fish maw, steamed fish and prawns and fried nam-yee chicken. Fish means abundance and prawns means laughter aplenty. Chicken means the grandchildren will have home-made KFC for reunion dinner and believe it or not that dish is the most sought after by the grandchildren. Besides, how can the reunion be more exciting without having the low sang..That really was one of my most favourite dish!

Ang Pow Money Counting

Elgin: How many 10 dollar notes are there in all that ang pow packets. It's really kinda funny and confusing me..




Elgin: Better use a calculator..






(30 minutes later after opening 60 over angpow packets)
Elgin: Oh...I am pooped






Elgin: (zzzzzzzz...).

Catching The Mood For CNY

This year I wasn't in the mood for new year. Too busy even to think about new year. Worse still, fell sick at the 11th hour. Terrible sore throat and flu. I reckoned tat was mandarin orange flu. But then swear..I only took 4 pips, not even an orange. That shows how potent the virus can be. Orange flu's in the air..Luckily Christina gave me some antidotes for me to pull through at the very critical moment..or else i would not be able to enjoy all the goodies for new year. This year I didn't make any of my favourite cookies coz I was too tired to engage in any baking activities..

I also did the last minute shopping for some necessary stuff as there won't be new year without those stuff. Luckily my hubby and in laws are more enthusiastic to get into the mood for new year. My hubby suddenly had a crush on those what I called "chinese new year flowers" sold in nurseries. So his parent happily went  and  shopped a few pots to decorate our house. The flowers cost about RM5-RM10 per pot. Not very expensive but withered away quickly coz the weather was scorching hot. Some have already bade us sayonara before ushered in the YEAR of The TIGER. Anyway, those managed to survive and gone into full bloom were really great.

(Upper) Last year's decor

(Lower)This year's decor

The chasing light..red red red color everywhere to bring in the "ong"

 

My hubby has bought some chocolate balls to top up my candy bowl. By virtue of valentine's day falls on the first day of CNY, these chocolates are supposed to gratify the Cupid who knocked at my door, in case the God of Prosperity don't  give face to come. Na-uh...my hubby is not the romantic sort. THIS IS MERELY MY IMAGINATION AND ASSUMPTION. In fact, it is the  one pot of "kum" (gold) that the bowl signifies. Since the gold wrapper made the bowl look like a pot of gold. Initially we thought of buying Patchi but the price was too steep so we settled for Rocher and Cadbury.

2010 Chinese New Year Ang Pow Packet Collections

My angpow packet collections for CNY Year 2010.

HSBC Premier

HSBC

Alliance Bank

Cute designs from OCBC

Giant Angpow from OCBC

in case you're not convinced of the size

EON Bank

The most elegant design-Deutsche Bank

Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered Priority Banking

The cutest of all is from "Christina Bank"

 

 It's the year of Tiger. When drink beer, choose Tiger Beer, Which airlines to fly? It must be Tiger airlines. When mossie bite, use Tiger Balm. Give angpow, how can we forget this one from the Tiger's bank- Maybank

 

ING 

UOB