Gong Xi Fat Cai 2009

Happy 牛 (Niu - cow) Year Everyone!!

Ooh, I love this time of year. The other day, I went to visit my friend's house. Her mother, and a whole host of the aunties were zipping around making yummy Chinese cookies for the New Year. Her dining table was groaning with the weight of pineapple tarts, love letters, kok chai’s (peanut puffs) and zillions of other things I don’t know how to pronounce. There were bags of flour on the floor, lumps of doughs on chairs, bottles of fruit and nuts in boxes, and towers of biscuit tins and cookie-making things in doorways. There was a certain Chinese-kitchen madness to it all. And the whole house smelt like the inside of a warm, sugary pastry kitchen. Just divine.

Coming together and making Chinese New Year goodies is a yearly tradition for my granpma’s generation. My generation has never been involved in it. We were always “too young” and “got in the way” of a well oiled system. We were always too slow. Made them too big. Used too much filling. Burnt the sides. Rolled the pastry too thin. Or didn’t press the edges down properly. In the end, we would just sit around waiting for the wonky shaped ones to cook so we could eat them, and and lick the mixing bowls. Haha..

Anyway, this year is gonna be different, we aren't going back to mum's hometown since dad's health condition isn't well. So we are going to celebrate with my father's side relative to have reunion dinner in KL. And I swear I'm going to burst with all the food in my tummy, because I can imagine how much delicious home-made banquet are they going to prepare for 30+ people!

Oh, I just love the quirks of big family!