Chinese New Year Food Thread

[lemonlaug]

Selfish of me, if you are in the mood could you share a little of your food tradition. Maybe a pic and a list of the goodness? Food traditions are a big deal to me. TIA.

I have just a kernel of a contribution to make to this thread, since I'm in Wisconsin, not California, and also because I'm not a native celebrator of Tet (New Year), but I want to salivate over everyone else just like TT so:

My girlfriend whose family is Vietnamese, scored a couple of bahn chung on a recent trip home and we've been saving them up for tet. This is a big square of sticky rice stuffed with mung bean paste and fatty pork. Sliced and heated in a skillet. The end result to my midwestern palate is kinda like corn meal mush, but made good with bean paste and pork. Ideally eaten with pickled dried (dried, then pickled) daikon, but we did without yesterday.

Her calls back home suggested that we were missing out in a pretty serious way, but mood-wise I think she was plugged into the spirit of the day, lots of reminiscing and calling people. I can't wait to experience the real thing in person.

[Too Tall]

Awesome. MORE! Happy New Year :)

[johnmdesigner]

Sorry, no pictures but...

We had 17 people at the Sichuan restaurant.
Pot fish in (very) spicy broth.
Chicken with hot peppers.
Slab bacon with hot green peppers.
Dried beef with ground hot pepper
Sichuan dumplings.
Sauteed lamb in Sichuan sauce.
Whole deep fried fish with spicy sauce.
Cold noodles with hot Sichuan sauce.
Ox tongue and tripe in spicy sauce.
Desert was deep fried yam patties stuffed with red bean paste and rolled in sesame seeds.
And about a gazillion bottles of beer (it helps the morning after).

[Too Tall]

Even us non-China folks celebrate Chinese New Years! For many yrs. I would reserve a room at a very good resturant and pre-order a 10 course meal. You nailed two of my favorites, cold sesame noodles and crisp whole fish with black bean sauce. None of my friends are as fond of very spicey as me.

I just LOVED the manner in which our resturant would bring the dishes in a particular order and paced just right. What a blast, I could not move for days...stuffed!!!

Great meal. Thanks.

[johnmdesigner]

Even us non-China folks celebrate Chinese New Years! For many yrs. I would reserve a room at a very good resturant and pre-order a 10 course meal. You nailed two of my favorites, cold sesame noodles and crisp whole fish with black bean sauce. None of my friends are as fond of very spicey as me.

I just LOVED the manner in which our resturant would bring the dishes in a particular order and paced just right. What a blast, I could not move for days...stuffed!!!

Great meal. Thanks.

Come to the evil hood someday.
We'll take care of you.

[johnmdesigner]

Damm, I forgot the razor clams in garlic sauce.

[Too Tall]

Damm, I forgot the razor clams in garlic sauce.

Arrrrrrrrrg. What no Frites with mayo hehehe. Dewd, I'll got to that hood. He!! yeah.

[Shinomaster]

The last time I was in Boston I had quite a feast in China Town.