Chinese banquets: All types!

[sheetz]

I haven't heard of birthday banquets being held in the honor of anyone under retirement age. They do have feasts in honor of newborns, I think, but I don't think they are on held on their birthdays.

As hzrt stated, you're supposed to have noodles and sou bao. Maybe a feast in honor or an elderly person would have some medicinal dishes, with things like ginseng. Other than that I can't think of anything. Perhaps there are a few Chinese baked goods that would appropriate for the occasion.

These links explain some of the symbolism involved with various Chinese foods:

http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway...ntent_29424.htm

http://www.chcp.org/banquet.html

http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/curriculum/.../food/index.asp

[jo-mel]

Just to add to all that has been said here ---

In Rosemary Wong's " Good Luck Life", she has a listing of flowers for corsages, boutonnieres or centerpieces based on the month.

Lai See envelopes, with a dollar or coin, are passed out. She says that traditionally chopsticks and a rice bowl were given to guests to symbolize continued contentment, but today's favors have evolved into small statues of the God of Longevity, teacups and gold coin tasels. In the West, chocoate truffles or mints packaged in red can be souvenirs of thanks.

But it sounds like these customs are for much older than 30. The BIG O celebrations seem quite elaborate with months of planning.

[Dejah]

All the BIG O birthday parties I have attended have given out sets of rice bowls and chopsticks as "party favours".

At my grandfather's 60th while I was still in HK, I remember the large living room/dining room that we had was set with 6 round tables, each seating 8. This was the supper just for family members. Granny had engaged the chef and kitchen staff from one of her favourite restaurants to cook the meal. The only dish that I really remember was the snake soup! I was enjoying the "crisps"...so light and transluscent...crisp and delicious. Then, my brother told me it was deep fried snake skin!

I was given a new set of clothes for this party. Still have a picture of myself sitting in my red coat with fake leopard skin collar. The rest of the family also got new clothes for that celebration.

For dessert, I know we had miniature fruit and birds shaped from marzipane, fruit and a sweet soup with noodles.

[jo-mel]

Dejah --- Aren't you supposed to say that you remember the snake soup topped with yummy crispy yummy deepfried yummy snake skin? LOL!

Talking about the Big O, The Wong book says that men usually celebrate in the even decade, while some women "depending on the practices of their region of origin" choose to celebrate at 51, 61, 71 and so on. Also some birthdays are celebrated at 49, 59, 69 etc based on 'cheung so' -- seizing longevity. I didn't realize that.

[Dejah]

Dejah --- Aren't you supposed to say that you remember the snake soup topped with yummy crispy yummy deepfried yummy snake  skin? LOL!

Talking about the Big O, The Wong book says that men usually celebrate in the even decade, while some women "depending on the practices of their region of origin" choose to celebrate at  51, 61, 71 and so on. Also some birthdays are celebrated at 49, 59, 69 etc based on 'cheung so' -- seizing longevity. I didn't realize that.

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JO! Are you SURE you're not Chinese? Have you checked the mirror lately?

[herbacidal]

I'll agree with the general sentiment that there is no standard for birthday dinners.

It's up to the whim of the host(ess), especially if he/she is also the birthday person.

You can go as upscale/ridiculously hard to find/expensive as you want.

Or as downscale/comfort level/cheap as you like.

The guests have always been the important part.

[jo-mel]

Once when I was in the hospital and had to have some blood, I asked if they could give me a pint from someone Chinese! Anything to say that I had SOME Chinese blood in me! LOL!

[Dejah]

Well, wesza was made honourary Toisanese, so I can't see why we can't grant you Honourary Chinese status! Besides, you TEACH Chinese cooking classes!

[hzrt8w]

Once when I was in the hospital and had to have some blood, I asked if they could give me a pint from someone Chinese!  Anything to say that I had SOME Chinese blood in me!  LOL!

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So... in short of that, you get it from the food? They sell them in "pint" boxes too!

[torakris]

You're lucky I managed to find some long-burning candles....since we may have to wait a loooong time till you get to this restaurant.

Cake is Sunny-as-Your-Disposition Citrus Chiffon Cake, with Whipped Cream of Koi Pond...the Koi* representing liveliness. Although you can't tell from this pic, the 3  candles on the cake are smaller than the 6 on the board.

* There are some comments that it looks like a pig from this angle.  Koi or Pig, dear birthday boy, it's up to you...

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I am just curious are cakes part of modern day birthday celebrations among Chinese?

and if so what kind of cakes are most popular?

I know in Japan birthday cakes are a relatively new addition to a birthday celebration and they tend to be of the strawberry shortcake variety...

[rjwong]

Last month, my extended family celebrated my nephew's birthday at my brother's house. The menu was mostly Chinese dishes, some American, served buffet style. Some things were bought (roast duck, soy sauce chicken, roast pork, birthday cakes); some cooked at home (prime rib, Chinese vegetables, almond jello, mango pudding).

For dessert, the birthday cakes were a mango cake & a large fruit tart, both from a really good Cuban bakery in Glendale. Chinese desserts tend to have more fruit and less sugar, not as sweet.

[Dejah]

Long life noodles are a must at every Foochow birthday celebration.

The chicken is pink from being stir-fried with red rice lees before going in the soup.

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Is the pink chicken because "red" is the lucky colour, and the white noodles themselves would be an "unlucky" colour?

I see you have 2 eggs in the pic with the noodle box. Is there egg worked into the soup? Or just an indication that these are egg noodles?

[Jon Tseng]

For the meal:

Alsace 1991 Gewurztraminer Zind Humbrecht Domaine Heimbourg

One of the best plots of the one of the best producers in a good year. Delicious with Chinese food with its lychee notes and slight sweetness.

Rhone 1996 Cornas A Clappe.

Stand up to anything

Canada 2000 Paradise Ranch Merlot Icewine

Sweet sticky for pud

Merlot icewine!

Virtually indistinguisable from boozy Ribena

Corney and Barrow do a great price on the Paradise Ranch icewines though - both merlot and (i think) the chardonnay

J

[jo-mel]

Ben -- belated greetings!

生日快乐 对您

生日快乐 对您

生日快乐亲爱的本

生日快乐 对您!!

[Dejah]

I have copied and printed out this list for my next Chinese food party. Thanks Jack!

Hope everyone enjoyed them at our first cyber banquet at the restaurant www.WOK!

At least we didn't need DDs...

Now, if we can get eGulleteers to do pictorials on these banquet dishes...

I will be trying my hand at one or two...after my stint of Po-Po sitting...

[Dejah]

Ben -- belated greetings!

生日快乐 对您

生日快乐 对您

生日快乐亲爱的本

生日快乐 对您!!

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Do I need to drop this post into a Chinese translator? (name hrzt?)

[jo-mel]

Psst --- Dejah, (my Chinese friend) ----- it's "Happy Birthday to you" (Sheng ri kuai le)------- etc.

[hzrt8w]

生日快乐 Means "Happy Birthday".

亲爱的本 Means "Dear Ben".

(Ben's translation is "本"... Ha! He needs to tell us his Chinese name...)

对您 This I have a little difficulty with. 您 Means "You". But 对 means against, or opposite... not the exact translation of the word "to". We usually use the word 祝 (means "wish").

We typically sing the birthday song as:

祝您生日快乐 (Wishing you a happy birthday)

Sorry for the linguistics off-track.

[jo-mel]

hzrt --

Thanks, Lao Shi! A little needed grammar education. I was using 对 with the meaning of 'being directed at", cause I was trying to keep with the literal "Happy birthday to you" song words, in my crazy Caucasian way. I do know about 祝您 if I was addressing someone, but if I was singing it, I would say 'Zhu nin sheng ri kuai le' with the same musical notes?

I could only find 8 'bens' , so I chose the most simple. We'll have to do some name exchanging here!

About the banquet selections --- fantabulous! What exactly are 'flag cakes'?

I've never had eggwhite fried rice, but it seems to put that homey dish on a higher level. More delicate for a banquet. And -- if you knew how much I love Yi -fu mian, 2 platters of it would have been served!

Tepee --- I thought it was a pig, too ---- for Ben's birth year, but I think I figured the date wrong.

[SuzySushi]

So where's Ben?

Looks like he wasn't at his own party!

(Happy Belated Birthday!!!)

[Dejah]

Jo-mel,

I assumed it was Happy Birthday song in Chinese...and do know the words, but when I saw your post, all I saw were ??????? all in bold red font!

I wonder why I can't see the Chinese characters?

[Dejah]

So where's Ben?

Looks like he wasn't at his own party!

(Happy Belated Birthday!!!)

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he must be still napping after gorging on all that cyber banquet food!

[hzrt8w]

.....I do know about 祝您 if I was addressing someone, but if I was singing it, I would say 'Zhu nin sheng ri kuai le' with the same musical notes? 

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Yes. Just sing that matching the musical tune.

RE: flag cake... Origamecrane had informed me since, that those are actually mooncakes! Sorry. I thought they looked like flag cakes. (Or actually the translation should have been "chess cakes".) Chess cakes look like mooncakes: square in shape with round edges. They are much smaller. They look just like the chess pieces in Chinese chess - thus the name. I can't remember exactly how they taste. I had them when I was small. But I don't have a sweet tooth, so I am not too into desserts. I think they contain lotus seed paste but may be wrong.

[Ben Hong]

Welll!! Glory be!! A birthday banquet in my honour. Sheesh, I gained 5 lbs. just looking at the dishes, . Thank you, thank you, thank you. I keep saying that I don't feel like 63.

I have never met internet folk as warm and as friendly as you all are. I think that will be my future retirement project, to travel and meet with some of you. ( I think Dejah survived my visits OK)

My Chinese name Ben is written with two symbols for man side by side with three angled slashes on top of each other on the right of them.

Again thanks all. Cheers.

[hzrt8w]

My Chinese name Ben is written with two symbols for man side by side with three angled slashes on top of each other on the right of them.

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Are you giving us a word puzzle?

Would it be this: 彬 (Sound: Bun [Cantonese], meaning: polite)

But those 2 are not men side by side. They are wood side by side, which means forest.

Man is: 人

Wood is: 木