use real butter

Recipe: rui tsai (lucky ten ingredient vegetable)

Chinese New Year fast approaches and it is time to prepare for the festivities which almost always revolve around food. When I was growing up in Southern Virginia, I hated being Chinese because I looked different from everyone else. We ate food that was completely foreign to my friends. My parents spoke to (yelled at) me in Chinese in front of my friends and I just wanted to disappear. I endured plenty of teasing and bullying because, well… kids are assholes. I did everything in my power to avoid being seen in public with my parents. I wanted so badly to be Not Me.

I won’t bore you with my path to accepting my identity, but once I was there and donned my status as an ABC (American Born Chinese) you couldn’t stop me. Happiness comes from within and baby, I got it. That’s not to say that living the balance between western and eastern cultures is easy, but I’ve come to embrace what I used to reject as a child. Okay, I could do without the constant *guilt* in the never-ending quest to be a Good Chinese Daughter, but otherwise I have to say my Chinese culture enriches my life and I’m glad for it.

Which leads me to the food and superstitions and traditions. There is a veritable boat load of foods you eat for the Lunar New Year and each one means something! I am probably familiar with a mere fraction of them. My family does a giant hot pot filled with ingredients that all signify good things: money, health, happiness, luck, promotion, success, more money… You get the idea. Dumplings, as I’ve mentioned before, are supposed to represent money and in some instances having sons, but let’s not go there. Tofu is luck. Rice cake means a “higher” (better) year. A whole fish means happy starts and endings (head and tail, get it?). Eat something sweet first thing on New Year’s Day so sweet things come out of your mouth all year (I can hear the guffaws of all of my friends…). And there is a lucky ten ingredient vegetable dish called rui tsai. Ten is the lucky number. Eat this dish and all good things will come to you in the new year.

**Jump for more butter**

Have you ever heard of degustation? a tasting menu? I had no idea what it was until I got an email from a stranger one day… she said she liked my web pages and had I ever dined at The Flagstaff House in Boulder? She lives in Sydney, but had been there the year prior and enjoyed the 9-course degustation. Needless to say, today Kell is one of my best pals and I even had the pleasure of visiting her in lovely Sydney earlier this year (and we had a great degustation at Restaurant Balzac).

So yes, a degustation is something to pace yourself through. Tiny plates. Many tiny courses that the chef has prepared for you to experience on your culinary journey. Seems that every time I am within 2 plates of the finish, I feel like I am going to burst, to die right there at the table (just one after dinner mint?). But if you ever get the opportunity – go for the degustation. It is so much fun.

And fun is what Kaweah is all about. Today it is her 9th birthday! I know what you’re thinking… “too much spare time?” Well yes. Doc’s instructions were to “take it easy” after surgery. Gawd – take it easy?! Not in my vocabulary, really. I’ve been chomping at the bit for a week, so grant me this diversion and I won’t make a rude gesture with my good arm…

Two weeks ago, Erin and I had exchanged emails about their celebration venue and the weather. She said that it was unfortunately, forecasting rain. I promised her that 15 days out means very little and that it could very well change 180. Indeed, by the following week it changed from rain to just overcast. Then Saturday morning, we discovered that Seattle was going to deliver full on sun with a few Simpsons style clouds for extra pretty in the mix. The weather was incredible. In fact, every time we’ve been to Seattle, we have enjoyed sunny and gorgeous weather. Not too hot either – low 70s. *gushing*

What do you call this event… a celebration really says it. It wasn’t a commitment ceremony as I had thought because Erin and Caroline exchanged rings the week before in the Olympic Mountains and made their promises to one another in a very private ceremony (just them and their photographer friend).

Jeremy and I generally loathe weddings, but this – this we felt we had to go to for two reasons… okay three reasons. 1) We absolutely adore both Erin and Caroline because they are not only loving and generous, but they stand for many things we believe in 2) it’s in freaking SEATTLE (LOVE IT!) and 3) we wanted to support this union because we knew some people had issues with the lesbian relationship.

But the fact that about 100 friends and family came to support these two incredible women spoke volumes about the love felt by all. Oh, I’m jumping ahead of myself here.

Jeremy and I arrived an hour early to discuss some logistics and to photograph the family when they arrived. Olympic Sculpture Park was the perfect setting with a view of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula to the west, tons of large sculptures scattered about the lovely grounds, and a glass pavilion where the reception took place. Cocktails and appetizers were served on the patio. I talked some shop with the head of catering and was totally impressed with their work (all local and organic – incredible food).