Asia's flavours this Lunar New Year

There are a few occasions in a year that deserve my stomach's full attention.

Birthdays, Christmas and the Lunar New Year.

These are eating festivals, as far as my family and friends are concerned. People gathering round, sharing meals, swapping stories, indulging in festive snacks.

The stuff of good times.

Food plays such a big part bringing people together, and any excuse to break bread and clink glasses is wildly welcomed.

> But don't throw out your Outside Glow!

And this year, Petite Pops is embracing Asia's flavours in our Chinese New Year goodies.

Matcha and Wolfberry, both native to Asia, are packed with age-old health beliefs, perfect for turning festive feasting into good-for-you snacking. Osmanthus adds a delicate, subtle fragrance for barely-there flavour layers. Just the kind of natural sweetness I like in my snacks.

Share the Lunar New Year love with double goodies in the Twin Baskets, or go solo with the Osmanthus Honey Loaf.
> Details in image above

A wonderfully prosperous and blissful Year of the Monkey to everyone!

What do you get with Petite Pops desserts?

• Small batch baking      The only good way to do quality control.

• Good ingredients          Real and delicious, no further preservatives added.

• Fresh                              Made only when orders come in.

• Balanced                       A little naughty and a whole lot nice. Less sugar & fats,                                            while balancing the yum.

Surviving the lunar new year - have your cookies and eat them!

The year of the Sheep / Goat / Ram - somewhat confusing, but all applicable for the lunar new year - is just two weeks off, time to get snacking!
> Treats for the arduous journey, happy 2015
> Color me happy, it's 2014!

Cookies and traditional desserts are a staple at every Chinese home - a way of welcoming visiting well-wishers, and feed festive once-a-year-gamblers that get hungrier as the stakes go up and coins change hands.

As a new generation (I would like to think!) Asian household, we've tried to do away with clutter.

Keeping things simple, cherishing the space.

There are however, a few very delectable (yes, all edible once again, a running theme I realise) key elements of the lunar new year that you just can't dispense with. The convivial spirit is never the same.

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1) Bak Kwa: barbecued sweet pork slices
No one understands the insane phenomenon of queuing for hours at the most popular stalls, paying double the usual prices - when bak kwa is there for the taking any other day of the year. But the craze continues, and the chinese new year festivity is all the rowdier and happier for it.

> Which bak kwa to get in Singapore?
> Not too many options in Hong Kong, but there's always good 'ol Bee Cheng Hiang

Image from Gallery Funny Game

2) Mandarin oranges
Like bak kwa, the mad scramble for mandarins takes some strategic planning (not too early, they'll rot before you get to give them out; not too late - none left for you!), and hefty muscles. Be smart and know what you're grabbing at the markets, not all oranges are created equal.
> Meet the oranges that wink

Image from Infographics.sg

3) Lo Hei
Insanely messy, ridiculously rowdy and superbly delicious - tossing yu sheng is mandatory during the luar new year. Do you want to be the shmuck who misses out tossing in some good fortune? And be honest - no one actually knows the right phrases for each stage in spite of the collective brave shouting of unintelligible gibberish, as you try to outdo your neighbour tossing higher with each round. Here's an awesome guide to doing lo hei like a boss.

4) New Year cookies
Hands up anyone who's managed to NOT put on weight during the chinese new year. Yep, pretty much zero. I've always advocated balance - food, life, work, sports - everything. So balance is the way we're gonna take on the new year feasting, you can have your cookies and eat them! Toasted oats and nuts are the healthy way to go. Coupled with reduced sugar and butter, you've got yourself some pretty scrummy treats that taste fab and keep you fitting the same pair of pants you walked in with pre-cookies.

Make smart choices this lunar new year, gong xi fa cai everyone!

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone Jan & Feb 2015 Event Theme: My Homemake Cookies by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and co-hosted by Victoria Baking Into The Ether.

Link to "My Treasured Recipes #5 - Chinese New Year Goodies (Jan / Feb 2015)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.


Also linking this post to "Cook & Celebrate: CNY 2015" event organized by Yen from Eat Your Heart Out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

Crimson splash: Rich Red Velvet Cake

There are some things in life made to go together.

Cookies and milk.
The morning paper and coffee.
Fish and chips.
Kaya and toast.
Michael Jackson and music.

Things that make sense together work because they:
a) compliment - sweet to offset salty, light to counter heavy, yin to balance yang
b) enhance - bring out hidden layers, enrich and embolden. Like how surrounding black with white, makes the black look even deeper
c) sound nice together.. what's Burt without Ernie? It just doesn't work... there's no ring to it

Red velvet and cream cheese is that sort of a match, the sort that happily ticks all the above boxes.

Mmmm...  

I decided to make a red velvet cake for a farewell party, without adornments, just good 'ol fashioned rustic. Or 'nekkid', as I like to call it. 

Fuschia red when it starts in the mixer...

... after baking, a layer of luscious cream cheese frosting goes on ...

... topping the now rust-colored baked red velvet cake. 

Gimme some of that!

The cake went well with the office crowd at the farewell, folks who wanted good-tasting cake and didn't need the adornments.

The next time you're thinking of tea, coffee, weekends, taking a breather, celebrating or just indulging a little, think of cake.

It's a natural fit, a perfect match :)

More stories with a hint of red:
> Crimson splash: Red Santa Hats
> There's never too much red with Elmo around

Red - also the color of lurve...
> Is it time for Cupid yet?
> Baked with love

Get in on the lunar new year, bring your bit of red / auspiciousness to the party!
> Year of the Snake, don't let it be a party without cake
> Dong Dong Chiang!

Crimson splash: Red Santa Hats

Christmas is over, I know...  But there are a few good reasons why these cute little cupcakes are here.

Firstly, it's my delusional way of extending my favorite holiday, and making it last just a little longer :)

Secondly - there's always time for red velvet.

Lastly, the Lunar New Year is coming up, and red is just the color for untold wealth and prosperity ... so they say.
> Looking for something different this Lunar New Year?
> Dong Dong Chiang
> How to share a good pineapple tart
> Hello world, it's 2013!

So it's really just the right time to write about these adorable little Christmas head-toppers.

I think the magic is in the simplicity.

Nothing mind-boggling, nothing earth-shattering.
Just good ol' fashioned adorable.

Blood-red strawberries.... 

... perched on crimson red velvet

Their combined robust charm, just singing out Christmas all over...

The white frosting peeking out for a tinge of festive chill and cheer.

All tied up pretty ...

... and ready to jingle some bells!

Need more red?

> There's never too much red with Elmo around

> Baked with love

> Poppin' red cherries, even the jackpot ones!