Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year 2017

Post date: 05-Jan-2017 19:07:11

28th January 2017 is the Chinese Year of the Rooster. We should celebrate this because we are moving out of the year of the Monkey - the Red Fire Monkey - which is temperamental, unpredictable, and irritable! According to Chinese astrology, the Rooster years are known to be filled with integrity and efficiency - difficult to believe I know, but hope springs eternal. Hard work is the key to achieving success this year. It's also a great year to get married!

In the legends surrounding the choice of the animals for the Chinese horoscopes, the Rooster made its contribution through working hard and waking the humans early every morning. Thus it was rewarded with being picked - and apparently the Jade Emperor picked a red flower and put it on its head as a symbol of his approval. Though I think it's fair to say the Rooster made his case quite vehemently before being ultimately chosen.

This is our signature Chinese New Year supper which will include the traditional Chinese New Year dumplings, both sweet and savoury, and a great long list of other dishes that will keep appearing as usual. Join us !

Our banquet menu will be:

Chinese pickles and Preserved Cucumbers in XO sauce - I remember these from the start of banquets when I was a child

Jiaozi/Guo Tie or Potsticker dumplings - These handmade pork and vegetable dumplings signify family reunion. In northern China families traditionally spend New Year's Eve together preparing the dumplings, which are eaten at midnight. Crescent-shaped Jiaozi are a symbol of wealth and prosperity because of their resemblance to ancient Chinese money (silver ingots).

"Ah Sweet as Honey" - a lamb dish from the Imperial Court of the Qing Dynasty, favourite dish of the Empress Dowager Cixi

Oyster Omelette - this is a Fujianese speciality - yes it has real oysters in it - a really special dish!

Xinjiang Cumin Chicken - an unusual dish from Xinjiang province, in the far west of China, where there are Indian influences to their cooking.

Stir Fried Cucumbers- a dish that’s very popular, but little known outside China

“Delicious” Tofu – this is one of my favourite vegetarian dishes, cooked with chilli bean sauce and spring onions

Spring Onion noodles with Cha Siu - noodles signify longevity - it's important not to cut them! Our cha siu is legendary....

Chinese Aubergines – you’ll probably never have had aubergines like this before, but they are exceptional

Steamed whole Cantonese Seabass The word for fish, "Yu," sounds like the words both for wish and abundance, and serving a fish at the end of the meal symbolizes a wish for abundance in the coming year

Tang Yuen these round sweet dumplings, stuffed with red bean paste, are symbolic of family unity and harmony. Tang stands for reunion and yuen means round or complete.

Cost will be £45 of which £35 will go direct to MSF. Please mail us with bookings on info@parkholmesupperclub.co.uk