OK I've done a count. From the eve of Chinese New Year till today, the 13th day of the year of the Golden Rabbit, I've feasted at 17 Chinese New Year-related meals! And that is not including the 4-day holiday I took in Samui! There are still 2 more days of festivities to go and I've got 2 more dinners set. I should therefore hit 19 by Chap Goh Mei. That is quite a lot of food. Just today alone, being a public holiday, I enjoyed 3 major meals. It started with an early lunch with my friends Yoke Choo, Tony and Soon Kok, the former two ex-Genting, the latter still Genting. Dim sum and Waxed Meat Rice started the ball rolling. From lunch I headed straight to an afternoon tea hosted by our family friends, the Khaws. Roti Jala with Chicken Curry, Seri Muka, Layered Cake and Fruit Jelly; I didn't even dare try to take on the Mee Siam. An afternoon nap later, it was off to Chinese Treasures at Sime Darby Convention Centre for an 8-course banquet dinner hosted by an uncle from my Mum's side of the family. It was a wise move on my part therefore to have gotten in a swim this morning right after I completed the morning news at RTM. The exercise in a way relieves me a little from the guilt of such indulgence. I think more swimming and gymming will be required over the next few weeks to shed the excesses.
The thing is, what is a celebration without food? Chinese New Year is a time when we renew ties with family and friends, mostly over a meal, or more accurately, numerous meals. Communal feasting enhances kinship, promotes camaraderie, creates memories. And when the company is good, the experience goes up a notch too. It is a blessing and we should be thankful. I guess what I am trying to say is I look forward to more feasting over the remaining days of the Chinese New Year celebrations. I hope you do too!
Photo of Waxed Meat Rice.
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