One of my favorite holiday's is coming...

Yes, I know, Christmas already passed.  But my one of my favorite holiday's is Chinese New Year's. And that's just around the corner! On February 10th, Asians all around the world will be celebrating the Year of the Snake. Even this "fake Asian", as I am called, will be preparing some of our favorite dishes.

My parents raised us with a great love of this culture, and it was instilled in us at a very young age. They had friends that owned a local grocery store, and their children and we grew up at the same time. Our family took many trips down to Chinatown in NYC, and as I grew older, we would seek out different ones. This passion has been instilled in my children, and even as a woman in the Navy, my daughter now does the same thing. My youngest is no different. He eagerly awaits CNY, wondering what we are making, what china we will be using, what tea we will serve it with...I am blessed to have (most) of my family to share this passion with. We have one hold out. But he's a picky pain in the butt when it comes to food anyway, so we won't hold it against him. Right now. On February 10th we will. After all, who will eat all this food we will prepare? 

Since every food has a separate and special meaning, it seems almost silly to not make as many different things as you can so you have a healthy and prosperous new year, doesn't it?  Of course you need noodles for a long life, dumplings for money, spring rolls to bring good fortune, but the symbolism could go on and on! It would be fine if we had a huge family but there's 2 1/2 of us! Will have to consider this menu carefully...Thankfully I have many many cookbooks and lots of blogs to search! 

Some of my favorite books are The Asian Grandmother's Cookbook by Patricia Tanumihardja and The Dimsum Dumpling Book by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo, amongst others. In the weeks to come we will be getting ready for the festivities. I will post the shopping list soon, as well as the menu and recipes. Until then!

Back again!

It's been a long time since I posted last, but my 2013 resolution was to continue with my blog. After an exhausting 2012, this year can only get better! So, onward! New design, recipes, photos, ideas, and hopefully guest posts, are this years plan.

In a conversation I had recently with a long time friend, she mentioned that she cannot cook. I chuckled at that. Anyone can cook. After all, this woman makes art out of lunch. Puts on the most fabulously designed birthday parties for children. Designs the most scrumptious cakes. Yet she thinks she cannot cook? Pfft, Again I say, anyone can cook. They just have to want to learn. I suggested she read the book Martha Stewart's Cooking School. I was able to read my aunt's copy this summer, and I really suggest it for all home cooks, even those who think they "know it all" already. I must search used book stores to find myself a copy! In the book Martha covers such basics as braising, roasting, and even how to boil an egg. Don't laugh, it really is harder than you think to get an egg poached correctly, ask a culinary student.

Speaking of which, this blog will most likely touch on the fact that my son is applying to culinary schools this year, The Culinary Institute of America and Johnson and Wales, along with a semi-local tech school. It will be a long road, but at least I will get lots of new things to try and pass on to everyone! Consider it my gift to my followers. I cook, he bakes. I bake, but not like him. To him it's an art. To me, it's out of sight out of mind. Okay, that's not entirely true. It used to be true. But a few years ago I catered a wedding for the first time in a long time, and I made a few dozen loaves of Italian bread and a wedding cake, and I found my passion for baking, along with a few extra pounds packed on to the hips and everywhere else! After all, to be a true cook, you have to try all your recipes first before you find the best one, right? At least, that's what I told myself as I tried around 5 chocolate cake recipes. All of that will be coming up this year as well.

To a renewed blog, and to 2013...may it be filled with recipes, pictures, and fun.