Over the weekend, the Chinese marked the start of a new Lunar Year – the Year of the Snake. If you want to be specific it is actually the Year of the Water Snake as each year is accompanied by a rotating ancient element. Apparently this year is all about waiting for the right moment to strike – a question of timing and being patient.
I decided to celebrate the Chinese New Year with a group of friends. Our first consideration was the menu. We wanted to cook authentic Chinese food that was appropriate for a New Year feast. After weeks of going back and forth we finally settled on this menu:
Pork Dumplings Dan Dan Noodles Sichuan Steamed Whole Fish Dry Fried Green Beans Tea Eggs Wrapped Sticky Rice Fresh Fruit Fortune Cookies
The Chinese New Year is a time for family and friends to get together so the meal is normally shared family-style. Noodles are an important component of the meal – the longer the better as they symbolize longevity. A whole fish is often served as it is a symbol of prosperity and it is believed that eating it will make your wishes come true for the new year.
Around the home in the days preceding the Chinese New Year it is customary to give your home a thorough cleaning.The idea is to sweep away the bad luck of the previous year and make room for the good luck.
Brooms and dust pans are hidden away on New Year’s Day so that the newly entered good luck cannot be swept away. Purchasing new clothing, shoes and getting a fresh haircut is also customary during this period and symbolizes a new start. Also any dead plants or chipped plates or dishes need to be replaced.
Did any of you celebrate Chinese New Year? What did you have to eat?
A big thank you to Megan Richards who made and styled all the food and to Sian Richards (yes, they’re sisters!) who took all the photographs.
9 Comments
That meal looks utterly delicious and the styling is amazing!
We celebrated Chinese New Years at our house, but yours was absolutely gorgeous. I especially loved the fiery red chopsticks against the dark wood of the table. The Chinese newspapers was a great added touch. And yes, the food looked so yummy!
Gorgeous!
I made lion’s head meatballs, egg drop soup (with homemade organic chicken broth), chicken wings, pork dumplings, and stir fry broccoli…my sister in law fried some whole shrimp and brought chinese roasted pork, my other sister in law brought noodles! We missed out on fish this year, but I will learn and make it for the family soon!
Next year I will buy chinese dishes for the occasion!!! Your meal looks extra yummy and extra special with the right dishes!!!
What a beautiful post! Love the pictures and will try marbled black tea eggs soon
Simply beyond stunning, Emma – Excellent work with the food styling Megan, and the photograpy is perfect, Sian – I’m wowed! xo
your post is absolutely beautiful and so transporting. i am totally wowed by it.
we do celebrate chinese new year – “ours” is the oldest china town in canada, i believe, and we have enjoyed celebrating since our oldest was born as a golden dragon:) we’ve nailed down a couple of traditions including much red, dragon bowls to eat out of and a menu that is slightly more east asian than chinese, but is fun nonetheless.
What a stunning feast. The food and photographs look incredible. So glad you used the Dan Dan recipe from my blog. Did you love it? I do hope so. I love tea eggs and see that your have turned out really well. They are great fun to make. Happy Year of the snake. Best Torie from chilliandmint
What a lovely meal you put together. You should try the black bean sauce from Ying Ying Soy Foods. Its available at the Sorauren Farmers Market and is divine. Makes for a fabulous Kung Pao Shrimp!
Such beautiful photos and insight into the Chinese New Year celebrations.