CNY Party Part Two

It's been about six or seven years since I started cooking 'seriously' - not seriously like a chef but seriously like the food I cook have legit names and none of that mambo jambo bowls of noodle dishes I make up with whatever leftovers / sauces I have in the kitchen lol... dishes that I have eaten at home growing up and it actually tastes the same :) In the six years of cooking, I have always cooked for ang mohs ie, white people. Having lived in Memphis, I never had the chance to have my Asian counterparts try my food or rate it. My dad has tried my cooking before when he came to visit; and actually complimented me on my skills (and for cooking his few favorite dishes) - but that was only one meal and one small meal just doesn't cut it.










Last night, I cooked for 10 guests and eight of them Asians. One Singaporean, and a Japanese girl who's lived in Singapore and quite the foodie - actually, everyone who came were somewhat serious about food and/or in the food industry. Guess what!? They enjoyed the food!! Even our sushi chef (yes, what do you know, a sushi chef who is actually Japanese lol - yes they have those in Seattle lol) and his wife, I could tell, truly enjoyed the food. His wife who is an engineer asked if I was a chef LOL! What a compliment eh lol! Of course, she might just think I'm a colleague or something... but still, I'm taking the compliment and running with it.

Part two of our Chinese new year celebration at home was a little more different from the first one a couple of nights before. For one, the first night was just ang mohs. They said they enjoyed the food but hardly made a dent with the amount of food I made - well other than the large pea sprouts (dou miao) and abalone lol! ...the difference with last night; no forks were used (lol I suppose it's not that surprising but I, personally, prefer using a fork when I'm eating out of a plate), I almost ran our of rice... the crab and shrimp bean thread noodle was a big hit (you know us Asians love our noodles lol); people eagerly asked to tah-bao (doggy bag) food for family members at home and for today's breakfast/lunch...

My cooking confidence' level has certainly gotten a huge boost! Yes, of course the husband's told me a gazillion times that I'm a good cook... but everyone's husbands' is suppose to say that right? I mean sure the king has good taste and I trust his judgment when it comes to many things , certainly including food (except gamey-tasting meat lol)... but he's the husband :)

But back to the celebration - it was a big success. We all had a good time! Everyone I invited came - oh actually, no... my college pal didn't make it 'coz her husband hadn't gotten back from his weekend trip on time... I got oranges from the Singaporean friend in tradition for wealth, health and happiness and a couple of beautiful plants (an orchid and hydrangea) for our home that absolutely needs it. I'm hoping by next cny, we'll be celebrating it in our our home with much more space...

Until the 21st of this month, the only cooking that will be done is only going to be some regular home cooking for the king and I :)