52 Weeks: Week 5 - Chinatown

Pin It now! Happy Chinese New Year!  It's the year of the Rabbit and another year to celebrate with yummy food.  Truthfully, I've been a bad Chinese - we didn't close the old year with the proper dinner last night.  Growing up, my Mom would make a big dinner Chinese New Year's Eve with certain foods to "close" the year.  You know the Chinese (ok don't answer that with an Amy Chua reference and yes, I still have to post about her book and article.  I still don't have the words though...) - everything means something.  She would make a whole chicken (family unity), two whole fish (making sure we have one for leftovers the next day symbolizing always having more and being prosperous), lettuce (money!) and a vegetarian dish with dried oysters and black moss ("fat choy" - more prosperity).  Life has been really busy and tradition was a little lost this year.  We'll make it up this weekend though when we "open" the new year with all my relatives.  I'm sure there will be loads of delicious dishes to bring us lots of luck to last us through next year.

This week's photo is a familiar sight in Chinatown.  Have you been to one of the hundreds of restaurants that have roast duck, roast chicken, and roast pork on the menu?  I know a lot of people get squeamish seeing their food hanging in the window, especially when the head and feet are still on the food.  I've been seeing (and eating) them since I've been a kid so I've gotten used to it.  It's delicious anyway so get over it!