We always look forward to the 1st of May, because it’s always a holiday. We have a number of festivals which are based on the lunar calendar, such as the Lunar New Year, Easter, Deepavali and Eid (Hari Raya), which fall on different dates every year.
Family Day
This year we decided to celebrate Family Day on the 1st of May.
Food is usually part of any celebration. Family and friends usually meet to celebrate Christmas, Chinese New Year and birthdays. The menus for Christmas and Chinese New Year celebrations are based on tradition, and they don’t require much imagination. Menus for birthday celebrations are usually based on the preferences of the birthday celebrant. But what does one serve for a Family Day celebration? Well, it’s up to one’s imagination. So, what did we have for our Family Day celebration? It was a good buffet spread of:
- Char siew soh (BBQ pork pastry)
- Fruit cocktail and prawn salad
- Spicy prawn sambal
- Thai Laab spicy minced pork chicken salad *
- Shepherd’s pie
- Thai green curry (chicken) with kanom jeen (fermented rice noodles)*
- Thai red curry (beef)*
- Masaman curry (chicken)*
- Fried rice
- Rice
Drinks:
- Sprite with mint
- Lemongrass and pandan tea*
- Beer
Dessert
- Butterscotch squares
- Chocolate eclairs
- Homemade chocolate cake
- Homemade strawberry shortcake
- Homemade coconut ice cream with mango*
Suzie and I were the self-appointed Family Day cooks. We were responsible for the Thai items on the menu (marked with an asterisk). It was the first time we cooked as team. My mum helped with the grocery shopping the day before and with much appreciated advice, like : don’t overcook the meat!
The others in the house came to help nearer lunch time as families arrived with their contributions to the potluck.
A guest came into the kitchen, smiled and said: “I love the smell of the kitchen.” (There is something very homey and welcoming in the smell of the kitchen.) His grandson, who was the youngest guest, stayed in the kitchen to help.
Suzie was waiting for her Uncle George to arrive, but he was delayed because he had to make a second pot of prawn sambal. He realised that he had put 6 chili padi and 1 regular chili in the first pot, which would overwhelm anyone who did not have an exceptional tolerance for chili. He remembered that Suzie had told him that not everyone could take spicy food. Fortunately, Aunty Espie, one of the mums, brought a fruit cocktail and prawn salad which was the perfect antidote for spiciness. There was truly a variety of tastes and textures.
Home-entertainment at its best
Lunch was followed by a trivia quiz.
The highlight of the day was a live band performance. The challenge was to choose inter-generational classics, which everyone knew so that they could sing along with the band. Music has a way of uniting people. It was a swinging time, and a bit unexpected for Family Day. Ha Ha.
Sharing joys
It was a great way to start the month of May. My greatest joy was seeing mums, young and not-so-young, enjoying themselves and indulging in desserts and dads, young and not-so-young, singing with great gusto.
Have a great weekend.
By Chayo, HomSkil Editor 1, 3 May 2024
HomeBlog by HomSkil 