Most people get excited when I share that part of my long weekend celebrations involve celebrating Mooncake festival. "What do you do?" They ask. Perhaps disappointingly (or not) I answer, "In Sydney, we just eat". The Chinese seem to have preserved a lot of traditions that revolve around food. Or perhaps it is my perception of these festivals given that I gave up pagan idolising when I converted to Christianity when I was twelve. From then onwards, the prayer rituals my grandmother went through no longer held any awe. It was more, when will the praying be over, so that we can get cracking on all that food?
This is my first year celebrating with my new family. They might not quite get the festival, and I have a feeling that they are merely putting on a banquet at home because they thought it was a momentous occasion for me. But my mother-in-law wanted to make a lasagna, and all her other famous dishes, that don't hold any meaning at all for Mooncake festival. Grrreat...
I don't really know though, what would be a Mooncake festival banquet dish. I find myself getting a little annoyed at how fancy Asian cooking always looks brown. Check out my collage of the substitute Mooncake festival celebratory dinner I had with my Malaysian mates last weekend:
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Top: XO Scallops w/ glass vermicelli, and steamed coral trout
Middle: Heart clogging goodness, aka deep fried eggplant with salted egg yolk
Bottom: Yam duck, and XO Mud Crab with glass vermicelli pot |
Not very interesting to photograph but oh so delicious. I am attempting a roast pork today, but am not doing much else because my Mother- in- law doesn't agree with making dishes you can readily buy. There appears to be no joy in her mind to spend time slaving away on the kitchen making something that you may just as we'll buy from Hurstville or Coles.
Trying very hard not to correct her opinions... But I could barely concentrate on my recipe last night as she regaled me with her opinions as to why Sara Lee desserts are the best way to go whilst I was making my mini Pavlovas. They ended up being over baked and too chewy, but I am certain it is my own fault for losing interest in them as soon as I had slapped them in the oven.
Meh, the pastry cream helped soften them a little but mostly I was too sickened by how sweet the pavs were. Even the tart strawberries didn't cut through the sweetness.
Anyways, after the awesome AFL grand finals game yesterday, I am really hoping that the Rugby game tonight will favor Sydney too, you know to make up for our drought in State of Origins. Anyhow, I will be eating Mooncakes with my in-laws and intermittently checking on the game, so keep tweeting the action folks!
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