Overall, it will be a buoyant year, the year ruled by a very self-sufficient bird that will never goes hungry. The Rooster brings bright and cheerful times; lots of energy but is not always practical. So a good year, with lots of positive energy but keep focused; keep your head & feet rooted on the ground-not a year for get rich quick schemes, but a year of optimism tempered with hard work.

New Year as in any holiday involves food! And we all have our ideas of what Chinese food is…let’s go past the fast food places and go for the real thing!

The traditional New Year meal includes elements of luck for the coming New Year. For example, all unfinished business, repairs and cleaning must be completed by midnight to welcome the New Year with a fresh beginning. People bathe before the evening meal to symbolize leaving all the dirt behind and no one washes their hair on New Year Day, least they wash out what they learned the year before. Take the good and leave behind to make a fresh start in the New Year.

The meal itself always has foods that sound like luck or long life. Lotus roots, water chestnuts, snow peas, wood ears, snow ears and traditionally asparagus form one of the main dishes, each item symbolizing wishes for the coming year. Other must haves a whole chicken-to symbolize prosperity, whole fish-to symbolize luck & long noodles; normally served at the end of the meal to symbolize long life. Desserts are always fresh fruit, usually fresh segments of oranges & slices of fresh cut apples, the perfect light finish after a holiday meal

Bok Choy & Nappa-specials and best buys at this time of year form an integral part of the meal. To stay within an Asian theme use ginger, garlic, lemon grass, coriander, 5 spice powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce & even fish sauce! Get adventuresome or for more guidance try perusing these recipes check what others have to say & try something new!

& Gung Hei Fat Toy!