Happy New Year

It is that time again, New Years is only a few days away . Lunar New Years, or as we gringos and gringettes have come to call it “Chinese New Year’s”, though most of Asia celebrates. It is time to get a haircut, sweep out the house, and prepare for new and hopefully bountiful beginnings.

It is also time to send my kitchen god on his merry way to join his fellows. Though not a religious sort by nature, I post a picture of him and his family in my kitchen and so far he has been doing a good job of keeping things running smoothly. Tradition has it that you seal his mouth with sesame paste or other sweet so he can’t blab about what you have been up to with the other gods, then burn his picture to send him on his way, replacing the old picture with a fresh one. The picture I use is at the top, I am not sure who drew it, just found it on the internet and have used it ever since.

I hang couplets and firecracker decorations by my front door to scare away evil, and I might say stupid, spirits who are frightened by the noise of fireworks and can’t tell the difference between real and mock crackers. I’ll dig out my siu mai recipe and have already been dry running some dishes I want to make for the holiday. I usually throw a big party, but with Mrs. Phos’ leg in a cast we are keeping it on the down low this year – just us and the huskies.

Anyway, let me wish you a happy Year of the Rat and may it be a rich and rewarding year for you and yours.