新年快樂 Happy Year of the Rabbit! 恭禧發財

恭禧發財 Gung Hay Fat Choy!

新年快樂 Sun Nian Fai Lok!

Chinese New Year Celebrations will be in full swing by the time you are reading this. We will be celebrating with friends and family. There will be an abundance of food and perhaps a bit of frolicking!

Here is a fun link that will provide the quick and dirty about Chinese New Year.

http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/

As with most families, the celebrations revolve around food. Ours is no exception. My mom does a lot of traditional cooking….making sure we feast on a bounty of things that will bring luck and prosperity to our family. One of the traditions my mom has always followed is including our ancestors in the celebration. An offering is made to our dearly departed relatives. I admire my mom for carrying on this tradition. It has taught me the true meaning of respect. I have much gratitude for our family’s ancestors. They have laid the foundation for who we are today.

OK onto the food.

Summer brought Tuscany......Fall brings the Return from Golden Mountain

This Summer has been particularly fabulous in our parts.  Our back garden has been transformed through a labour of love by our dear garden guru into a delightful Tuscan escape.  Kudos to our dear friend, many friends in fact, have had a hand in this great garden makeover.  For certain we are blessed and especially so by garden guru's generosity, creativeness, great talent and most of all, his friendship.

The garden produced a bounty of delights. We feasted, wined, dined and enjoyed the company of good friends and family all summer long.
I hope to post photos and recipes as this blog develops, but for now enjoy a piece of our personal Tuscany.

This is the beginning of our great harvest table. Coming soon to a Tuscan Backyard near you!

BR and I  agreed today that summer is officially over.  He is digging out his big boy pants and I am contemplating the change over of carefree flip flops to proper footwear that will transport me firmly into Fall. So with that, the memories of our Tuscan summer get nestled away and we prepare for Fall.

Well officially, we have celebrated Fall's arrival already with a grand banquet a few days ago, marking the Mid-Autumn festival.  BR and I, along with family and many of our friends feasted on tasty delights.  You see, mid-Autumn festival is all about family and friends. So, if you are inclined on September the 22nd spend some time with loved ones and enjoy the magic of the harvest moon! Mid-Autumn Festival

This celebration was a preparatory one of sorts. As you read in the title, the second part of this post is The Return from Golden Mountain.  We are traveling back to China in a few short weeks.  Our journey will take us back to the villages of my parents.  We are eagerly awaiting the stories that mom and dad will share as we stroll back through their past with them. 

Stay tuned for updates on our travel adventures and culinary delights.