Chinese banquets: All types!

[Tepee]

"Many Happy Returns of the the Day" to my Banana-Sook! No birthday's complete without a cake. And this cake is from the Msian and Chinese side of me. The cake is a Kek Lapis (spiced layer cake) and is stacked nine storeys to signify 'Everlasting'. A chinese dragon (and you're an honorary one) is energetic, decisive, optimistic and intelligent and everything or anyone connected with him is especially blessed. Thank you!

p/s Congratulations on the latest bundle of joy!

Edited October 25, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[hzrt8w]

Happy Birthday Irwin! Since you are an honorable Toisanese, and an expert in salted fish, this dish of "Steamed Ground Pork with Salted Fish" was made in your honor:

[wesza]

"Many Happy Returns of the the Day" to my Banana-Sook! No birthday's complete without a cake. And this cake is from the Msian and Chinese side of me. The cake is a Kek Lapis (spiced layer cake) and is stacked nine storeys to signify 'Everlasting'. A chinese dragon (and you're an honorary one) is energetic, decisive, optimistic and intelligent and everything or anyone connected with him is especially blessed. Thank you!

p/s Congratulations on the latest bundle of joy!

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Teepee:

Your decorative Cake designs are incredible, everyone we has seen is imaginative and beautiful. I'm very honored with a Ferocious 4 clawed Dragon flying in the clouds. The stack is very inventive, looks delicious and has a authentic Asian design.

I hope you serve it to your family and children with Ice Cream [spicy cake for grown ups tastes better with ice cream for children] in my honor so I can enjoy it vicariously.

My "Bundle of Joy" will become 12 years old today. [pre-teen]

Both "Ben & I" enjoy being your "Banana's, someday I hope you will tell us what it means.

Thanks again,

Irwin

[Tepee]

...I'm very honored with a Ferocious  4 clawed  Dragon flying in the clouds. The stack is very inventive, looks delicious and has a authentic Asian design.

Irwin

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Hehe...so you noticed the 4-claws. In another day and age, my head would have become somebody's footstool for daring to paint that.

Edited October 25, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[hzrt8w]

That's a gorgeous looking cake, Tepee! So much detail on the dragon! How did you manage to paint it on the top of the cake? Wow! Always so creative!

Re: Banana... I believe the nickname was to describe someone who is "yellow outside, white inside", which is usually applied to someone who is a Chinese descendant but grew up in USA/Canada/Europe/Australia.

[wesza]

Happy Birthday Irwin!  Since you are an honorable Toisanese, and an expert in salted fish, this dish of "Steamed Ground Pork with Salted Fish" was made in your honor:

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Ah Leung:

I am indeed honored, but would be happy if you add this delicious treat to your recipe files on eGullet. It's a dish that the many eGulleters have not experienced but should try.v [definitely one of my favorites]

It's simplicity, natural tastes and presentation would add to everyones enjoyment. There are few items that compliment Rice more then "Steamed Ground Pork with Salted Fish' at any meal, [especially my birthday breakfast] it will be ordered with Yum Cha.

Yummmmmm,

Irwin

[wesza]

That's a gorgeous looking cake, Tepee!  So much detail on the dragon!  How did you manage to paint it on the top of the cake?  Wow!  Always so creative!

Re: Banana...  I believe the nickname was to describe someone who is "yellow outside, white inside", which is usually applied to someone who is a Chinese descendant but grew up in USA/Canada/Europe/Australia.

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Hope that includes, "Fort Apache" in the Bronx ?

Irwin

[Tepee]

That's a gorgeous looking cake, Tepee!  So much detail on the dragon!  How did you manage to paint it on the top of the cake?  Wow!  Always so creative!

Ah Leung Gaw, tks. Actually, the dragon is not on a cake (altho' that can be done). It's on a fondant-covered board which I let dry overnight under the oven's pilot light. This morning it became rock solid enough for me to paint on. I'm embarassed to say, the 'stack' was supposed to be a pagoda (yeah, in my dreams) but if I made all the intermittent roofs, it'll end up too tall and out of proportion. So, let's just be happy with 'stack'.

Re: Banana...  I believe the nickname was to describe someone who is "yellow outside, white inside", which is usually applied to someone who is a Chinese descendant but grew up in USA/Canada/Europe/Australia.

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Right you are. However, the name is respectfully given by us to Irwin-sook because his vast knowledge and experience of things chinese surpasses most of us, and he is, therefore, qualified to be a 'banana', altho' he's quite the other way round. I think Michael said an appropriate name would be lempeng pisang (banana pancake)...with spice, I should add.

Edited October 25, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[wesza]

That's a gorgeous looking cake, Tepee!  So much detail on the dragon!  How did you manage to paint it on the top of the cake?  Wow!   Always so creative!

Ah Leung Gaw, tks. Actually, the dragon is not on a cake. It's on a fondant-covered board which I let dry overnight under the oven's pilot light. This morning it became rock solid enough for me to paint on. I'm embarassed to say, the 'stack' was supposed to be a pagoda (yeah, in my dreams) but if I made all the intermittent roofs, it'll end up too tall and out of proportion. So, let's just be happy with 'stack'.

Re: Banana...  I believe the nickname was to describe someone who is "yellow outside, white inside", which is usually applied to someone who is a Chinese descendant but grew up in USA/Canada/Europe/Australia.

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Right you are. However, the name is respectfully given by us to Irwin-sook because his vast knowledge and experience of things chinese surpasses most of us, and he is, therefore, qualified to be a 'banana', altho' he's quite the other way round. I think Michael said an appropriate name would be lempeng pisang (banana pancake)...with spice, I should add.

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I did indeed in my previous post insinuate that your tasty stack was oriental in nature but seemed to be aged [in my honor] pagoda inspired.

Since it's now my Birthday I wish some authoritative persona appoint "jo-mel" the honor of becoming a Banana so that sometime in the distant future we may be invited to share some of her most auspicious powerful potion. [for health reasons]

Michael spent many of his younger formative years living in Malaysia, doing like my children , eating street food's and being naughty. He still is to young to have recovered. My children are older then him and still need more time as they still say things to me in Cantonese that I don't understand. My son's over 40 and still Fly's Kites.

Happy Birthday to me for my 900th post on eGullet.

Irwin

[Dejah]

Now that you've got the pagoda prototyped, Tepee, could you send one over for my brother's 68th birthday this Friday?

How did you make the cake? Was it one cake then cut into varying sizes before stacking?

Is it spice cake as we would know it in North America?

[Tepee]

Glad to, Sue-On, but the prototype still needs some work.

It's actually 2 cakes there. I used this recipe which has less than a third of the egg (yolks) in a traditional recipe. Be prepared to stand in front of a hot oven grill for 1- 1.5 hours for each cake. (I'm sporting a nice tan now).

Used an 7" sq tin for the 'building' part and didn't add any color.

Used a 9" sq tin for the roof part, dividing batter in 3, coloring 2, yellow and brown. You can flavor the brown part by adding an oz or 2 melted choc if you like. Can't give you exact measurements coz I always do eye-balling...bad habit. To make a more perfect structure, make a paper cutting of the baked cake, and cut it up in diminishing sizes.

For a stable structure, 'glue' with melted jam (traditionally, strawberry jam is used, but I usually use apricot) and insert skewers (I use satay sticks). Don't want a leaning tower, do we?

The cake is very rich, so teeny thin slices are cut. The pagoda may look slim, but it should feed quite a few. Slices which have been shaved off in the sculpturing, can be eaten as it is, or toast it for 20 minutes in the oven to turn it into a biscuit.

Edited October 26, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[I_call_the_duck]

Happy Birthday Irwin!!

Tepee, that cake looks incredible!! I just may have to ask you to send me one for my birthday next month.

Right you are. However, the name is respectfully given by us to Irwin-sook because his vast knowledge and experience of things chinese surpasses most of us, and he is, therefore, qualified to be a 'banana', altho' he's quite the other way round. I think Michael said an appropriate name would be lempeng pisang (banana pancake)...with spice, I should add.

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How does one pronounce lempeng pisang? What if we call him (and other Asiaphiles) an egg? I found this site (not food-related but funny):

"You know you're an egg when..."

Edited October 25, 2005 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[AzianBrewer]

Since, I am in Mexico that week...here's my order of Yucatan ribs from La Parilla. Happy B'day dude.

Edited October 25, 2005 by AzianBrewer (log)

[Tepee]

Tepee, that cake looks incredible!!  I just may have to ask you to send me one for my birthday next month.

Let's swap!!! Coz I'm a Scorpion too!

How does one pronounce lempeng pisang?  What if we call him (and other Asiaphiles) an egg?   I found this site (not food-related but funny):

"You know you're an egg when..."

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Lem --- lerm (without the 'r' sound)

peng --- ping

Right! Eggs they shall be! And, they get to select what egg.

Edited October 26, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[hzrt8w]

Happy B'day dude.

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That's one very senior, seasoned "dude".

-----

So an "egg" is the opposite of a "banana" per that website.

[Ben Hong]

Well, I pulled another "Ben Hong", late as usual to the party (Ihope there's a bit of rice and ham yeu yoke beng left). I have just arrived home after a quickie out of town trip.

Irwin at this late hour, in my time zone, I have no flowery prose or exalting paens to pen in your honour. Suffice to say that you are one of the most knowledgable Toysan "geezers" and one of the most articulate GENTLEMEN that I have read in any medium. To parrot the inimitable style of a previous well wisher, Happy Birthday Dude (sounds more appropriate coming from me as I am almost catching up to you in age)

[wesza]

Well, I pulled another "Ben Hong", late as usual to the party (Ihope there's a bit of rice and ham yeu yoke beng left). I have just arrived home after a quickie out of town trip.

Irwin at this late hour, in my time zone, I have no flowery prose or exalting paens to pen in your honour. Suffice  to say that you are one of the most knowledgable Toysan "geezers" and one of the most articulate GENTLEMEN that I have read in any medium. To parrot the inimitable style of a previous well wisher, Happy Birthday Dude  (sounds more appropriate coming from me as I am almost catching up to you in age)

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Now that my Birthday is almost over [by Seattle time] I thank all of you fellow eGulleters who shared my surprise celebration. The allocate of becoming a Dude was first offered to me by my Son-in-law to whom I responded that:

It's much better then being a "Preppy", Elitist. [learned from "Oneupmanship" British Edition from Punch Magazine and by playing "Dozens" in the Bronx.]

I appreciate being a "dude" from a fellow eGulleter and "Ben Soong" as it adds to my "Banana Flavor" and doesn't crack my "Egg". My friend at "Yum Cha" this morning told me I better prepare for becoming 70 years old as it's traditionally a important occasion celebrated by the Chinese. [ben are "geezers" unique to Toysan ?]

I look forward to getting older sharing the experience with the Royal Baker "Teepee" [Four Footed Dragon ?], personal party Chef "Ah Leung", everyones Magical Wizardess "Sue-On" hopefully with a little taste of "jo-mel's" potion to enhance my appetites [ummmm!]

I hope that there will be many other Birthday Celebrations shared by every eGulleter in a way only Foodies can share and enjoy together in what is definitely "Good Taste".

Irwin

[Pan]

[...]How does one pronounce lempeng pisang?[...]

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Without the "m", if you're in Terengganu or Kelantan. I didn't realize until a few years ago that lempeng has an "m" (somebody told me, just like they told me that lokam is the way to spell "clam" and longkang is a drain -- those two words are pronounced exactly the same in Terengganu dialect, i.e. "lokang").

Edited October 26, 2005 by Pan (log)

[Tepee]

Yes, Michael, endings tend to go a bit 'serong' (askew) in Kelantan and Trengganu. Edited October 26, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[Dejah]

Not really a birthday party, but a Hallowe'en party at our house on October 30th.

I'm posting acouple pictures in this thread. The rest will be compiled for a webpage.

The first picture is a display of all the food I was cooking - in the prep. stage.

This second photo shows the cold plate: braised beef shank, summer rolls, jelly fish, BBQ duck.

These are the BQ backribs, Chinese mushrooms in oyster sauce, and scallops, carrots, bamboo shoots wrapped with leeks.

This final photo is the black bean garlic shrimp and peppers sizzling hot plate, along side of the simmered salty chicken, bison stir-fry with lotus roots, snow peas, etc.

We had wintermelon soup to start, and finished with English trifle.

Edited November 7, 2005 by Dejah (log)

[jo-mel]

Wow Dejah! I hope you had help both in the preparation AND the cooking.

Were the scallop/carrot/shoots wrapped with leeks steamed or fried or baked like rumaki? Precooked carrots?

Could one of you photographers please come to NJ and give me lessons in posting pictures ------ please!!!

[hzrt8w]

This second photo shows the cold plate: braised beef shank, summer rolls, jelly fish, BBQ duck.

...

...and scallops, carrots, bamboo shoots wrapped with leeks.

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Wonderful! Great pictures!

What are summer rolls made of?

The last item: how was your wrap prepared? Steamed? Fried? Scallops can easily fall apart. Did they hold up?

[Dejah]

Wow Dejah!  I hope you had help both in the preparation AND the cooking.

Were the scallop/carrot/shoots wrapped with leeks steamed or fried or baked like rumaki? Precooked carrots?

Could one of you photographers please come to NJ and give me lessons in posting pictures ------ please!!!

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jo-mel: Check out hrzt's post on "quick and dirty" way to post pictures. It's easier to understand than the step by step of eGullet.

I blanched the leeks before taking them apart for wrapping. The sliced carrots were also blanched.

The scallops were too big so I sliced them crosswise into two. These bundles were steamed and held up well. I tied them with blanched scallions. A drizzle with a mixture of light soya, sesame oil, and fresh ground pepper on them just as they came out of the steamer was all they needed.

You can substitute shrimp or chicken in place of scallops. Just be sure to silken whatever meat or seafood. The texture is nicer even IF you oversteam.

The summer rolls. I used rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, scallions, carrot juliennes. I always stir-fry my filling, just a little, with some light soya or fish sauce, cool, then wrap. I like the blended flavours and softer texture of the vermicelli. The wraps I used before were the smaller ones. This time, I used the big rounds. They were more fragile, but easier to use. I put basil leaves in the last "roll over", and as you can see, they really showed through!

Edited November 7, 2005 by Dejah (log)

[Dejah]

Wow Dejah!  I hope you had help both in the preparation AND the cooking.

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I took my time preparing Saturday...so the cooking didn't take much. My daughter was recuperating and cleaning up after her celebratory/Hallowe'en party from Friday night! She passed her MCAT exam, finishing in the top 10%...so how can we say no to a party...but for 80 friends?! I like her friends tho' as the ones who were still here in the morning helped clean up. We stocked up the fridge with BBQ chickens and they were picked clean. Waffles, bacon and eggs in the morning fortified them before the clean up.

I enjoyed cooking for these kids. And the rest of the afternoon and evening, it was a leisurely time of organizing, washing, cutting and blanching. I consider it good therapy cooking for parties.

[Tepee]

Halloween party banquet, huh? I peered very hard at the pix of all that gorgeous food and just can't find anything looking remotely scary.....but then, I'm chinese. No food scares me!