Chinese New Year - A Great Idea For A Dinner Party

By Indra Books

What a great theme for a party with not a lot of expense. DonÂ’t be deterred by the fact that Chinese New Year is not always on a weekend. I know it is hard to believe but people actually socialize Sunday through Thursday nights too. A party doesnÂ’t have to be on a weekend. Just keep it light and inviting.

What do you need? Friends, Food & Drink, Chinese Dishes, Chopsticks, Lanterns or Luminaries and Party Favors.

How to execute? (Remember our basic entertaining rule – always plan and have a list):

Guests: Make your guest list. We recommend that you keep the gathering small. 10 close friends who arenÂ’t intimidated by a Wenesdayd night social event work well. However, when you have a small gathering, it is important that every person attend so it doesnÂ’t look like you have no-shows. Make sure you get RSVP's. If your friends are reliable email users, use http://www.evite.com/ and select the Chinese New Year themed invitation. If not, send out paper invitations 3 weeks in advance and follow up with a phone call.

Food: Find a local dim sum restaurant. Do not attempt this cooking yourself. If there isnÂ’t one, use your local Chinese restaurant and order appetizers. Call ahead and ask them to fax you a menu or drop by and get one. While you are chatting, find out how far in advance they need the order and inquire about pickup vs delivery. Allow extra time if you are having it delivered.

Small Group (10-12 people): Choose 4-5 items and make sure you order enough pieces for each guest. Large Group: Choose 6-8 items and order ½ the number of pieces as you have guests.

Order one or two sweet pastries using the same rule for number of pieces.

Beverage: If you are concerned about it being a “school night” even though we told you to get over that, serve Chinese tea. If not, serve Chinese beer or select one Asian-influenced mixed drink. This is not the occasion to stock the full bar.

Supplies and Decorations: Take a trip to Chinatown and pick up chopsticks, dishes, cups, lanterns or luminaries and little party gifts for your guests. DonÂ’t want to go to Chinatown? Shop from the comfort of your computer (or call us of course). Pearl River Mart in NYC has everything you will need and you can shop via internet if you aren't in NYC. HOWEVER, make a list first. It is easy to get carried away and buy things you donÂ’t need.

Lanterns range in price from $3 each up to $20. Make sure you have a place to hang them without starting a construction project. An alternative is a string of lights that have paper lantern globes on them. Luminaries are also great. Whatever you decide, you want candle or mood lighting for your party. Be creative but use Asian influences.

Chopsticks: Again, donÂ’t get carried away. If you are not a regular chopstick user then donÂ’t buy $5/pair sticks. You can get them in packs of 10 for $2.50 and they come in all different colors and shapes.>br?
Tableware: If you are picking up the dim sum or appetizers right before the party, then you can serve them on platters/dishes or if the restaurant provided nice containers serve from the containers with chopsticks although we donÂ’t recommend this method. If you are purchasing earlier in the day, you might want to invest in one or two tiered bamboo steamers. They run about $7 each. Otherwise, get some nice Chinese/Asian serving plates (square or oval).

Then you need dishes for your guests. This is very basic. Plates, tea cups if serving tea and dishes for sauces. Pearl River Mart has several different designs that come in melamine (approx $4/person for a whole set), which looks nice, doesnÂ’t break and is dishwasher safe. It is less expensive than buying china or ceramic. However, if you eat a lot of Chinese food in a structured setting (take out on Sat night does not count) then you might want to invest in the real thing.

Favors for your Guests: This is Chinese New Year and not a regular dinner party, so party favors are appropriate. Again, check out your local Asian stores for inexpensive trinkets. Again, it is CNY so ticky tacky gifts are OK. This is fun, not a gift to the visiting Ambassador from China. Put them in Asian style mini-gift bags or take away containers. Pearl River Mart has a whole section of CNY paraphernalia. I found a ton of Asian-themed items for $1 each at Target a few months ago. You just never know where your party favors will be. Keep your eyes open.

The budget (112-195 if starting from scratch):
Decorations: $10-30
Tableware: $30-50
Beverage: $2-20
Food: $50-75
Gifts: $20

If you donÂ’t want to spend that much on a party, here are some ways to cut the budget:

Find a paper store that sells square small plates in paper. Select a pattern that is plain red or black or select some other style. Use Asian style. Use Christmas lights instead of buying luminaries. Maked luminaries. Make gifts. Noni paper gifts. Non-alcoholic beverages are always cheaper than alcohol.

And now it is time to celebrate!(This article is not intended to be a how to for an actual Chinese New Year celebration. It is just a fun party idea for those who are bored with the traditional sit down dinner or cocktail party.)

Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The companyÂ’s creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE Go 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net/
© 2004 Indra A Books, ON THE GO 4 U.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Indra_Books

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

by Hugh Harris-Evans

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.

When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make a plan. The biggest mistake that people make when planning a pond waterfall is to err on the large side. For a pond measuring 12 ft x 14 ft you should think in terms of a fall of 18-24 inches. The width of the waterfall should be in proportion to the size of your pond. The important point is to make sure that the scale of your construction fits in with the surrounding features and does not spoil the balance of your overall garden design.

The next question that has to be answered is the type of construction you wish to use. There are two basic choices. You can either use a liner and place rocks to form the fall or you can save yourself the trouble and buy a Fiberglas unit. Either way you will still have to use your shovel to form the site of the waterfall.

The other requirement is a pump which will be sited in the pool to transport the water to the top of your waterfall. The size of pump that you will need depends on the height and width of the waterfall and also the length of pipe from the pump to the top of the fall. Once you have finalized your plans, consult your dealer and he will be able to supply you with the correct pump.

To maintain a healthy pond environment with crystal clear water usually involves installing a biological filter. Again your dealer will be able to advise you as to the correct type and size. The filter should be placed at the top of the waterfall so that the water is cleaned before issuing out on to the fall.

Once you have assembled all the equipment it is time to get out your shovel. If your site is level and the soil from excavation of your pond is nearby this can be used as the mound on which to place the waterfall. If you are using a liner you first dig out the channel and then fit the liner. Next place the rocks so that the water can flow over them. It is helpful if you observe a natural waterfall to give you some ideas as to how the rocks can be placed for the greatest effect. Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, use black waterfall foam to seal the rocks to ensure that the water flows over and around them and not underneath. If you have chosen to use a Fiberglas pre-formed model, you will avoid the problem of placing the rocks and will just have to dig out sufficient soil to allow you to fit the unit.

To complete the installation fit the pump, filter and hose and connect to the electricity supply. Providing all is working to your satisfaction, now is the time to relax and enjoy your handiwork.

If you have read this far and are wondering whether it would be just too much like hard work, then consider this. Water soothes and relaxes, inspires reflection, and is a source of beauty. A cascading, bubbling stream adds interest and serenity to the garden, while a waterfall can create a dramatic centerpiece. Building a pond waterfall really is worth the effort.

Hugh Harris-Evans is the owner of The Garden Supplies Advisor where you will find further articles, gardening tips and product reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hugh_Harris-Evans

Flower Garden in Urban Environment

By Kenneth Elliott

Small Flower Garden planning in a urban environment involves planning in a scarce environment. That is why it's important to know what to look for in that nook, niche, or corner. When creating that secret flower garden there are a few things to keep in mind.

First thing to consider in creating a flower garden is the choice of earth on which to begin your task. The Flower garden will have to be simply a suitable plot with suitable conditional. When you don't have much room at all the basic choice becomes no presence of earths bounty or a neatly organized small plot on which to produce the flowers and food you desire.

What kind of spot are you looking for for your flower garden? In the higher order of wants and needs, sun needs to be your deciding factor of spots. You don't want to maintain a north plot, unless it were absolutely forced to you. Why? Because of too much sun light. Now a northern exposure might be okay for certain strong strains of flowers in your flower garden or perhaps ferns, they are really not much use as spots for a domestic flower garden.

Now, the right conditions would be a plot with southern exposure, if you can get it. Here the sun lies cozy all day. Once you've identified the plot and begin to plan out how it will be planted, your rows of vegetables and flowers should run north and south. Planting your flower garden this way will allow your plants to bask in the loving warmth of the sun all morning on the eastern part and all the afternoon on the western side. Enjoy your new flower garden!

Kenneth Elliott is the owner of Flower Garden, Japanese Garden and Designer Handbags websites. Discover your gardening skills today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_Elliott

Chinese Cooking Technique: Thicken

By Helen Fan

“Thicken”, or “Thickening” is a very common technique used in both Chinese restaurants and household kitchens. It is very easy to prepare, but if not used properly, can really mess up the presentation. Below is a brief description of “Thickening”. You can learn more about other Chinese cooking techniques in the Techniques section of our website.

Technique: Thicken

Thicken, or thickening, refers to the use of cornstarch as a part of the process of preparing a Chinese dish. Cornstarch is a very commonly used condiment in Chinese cooking. When used properly, it can really make your presentation stand out. Below are two important pointers:

Follow the recipe as given. Too much cornstarch can make the dish too pasty. Too little would make it too thin. After cooking a particular dish the first time, you can use the original recipe as a guide to increase or decrease the amount of cornstarch to add to your dish to your liking the next time (even though we are confident that you’ll love the recipes we have on our website :).
Watch the timing and stir appropriately. Do not add cornstarch (and water) until the dish is cooked. You must also stir gently and quickly once it is added to the dish, as it tends lump up if not stirred immediately.

Pretty simple, right? Now, you can check out our recipes section and find a recipe to practice it on (wink).

Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/
You can learn more about other Chinese cooking techniques at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/techniques/techniques.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Fan

A Beginners Guide to Chinese Cookery

By Liz Canham

Introduction

When I first ate Chinese food in the UK in the 1970's, it was really quite unappealing. Everything came in a gloopy sauce and seemed to taste the same, due to the overuse of monosodium glutamate, supposedly a flavour enhancer but in reality, nothing of the kind. Then in the 1980's a new breed of Chinese restaurant arrived (at least it took that long to reach the provinces) which provided lighter, tastier Chinese cooking demonstrating regional differences. There was one drawback, however, which was that this new type of restaurant was much more expensive than the original cheap tasteless ones. Consequently, I thought how nice it would be to cook Chinese food at home but I had no idea where to start until BBC TV came to my rescue in the shape of Ken Hom, the USA-born chef of Cantonese parents.

Ken presented Chinese cuisine in such an easily-understandable way, demonstrating techniques and suggesting alternative ingredients should the originals not be available in your local supermarket. The book which accompanied the series, Ken HomÂ’s Chinese Cookery became my bible and I still have my copy, pages stained with oil drips and smears of sauce.

To help you on your way to cooking Chinese food at home, IÂ’m going to briefly describe the basic equipment, ingredients and techniques which you need to know so that you can produce some simple and tasty dishes. I hope you enjoy the article and that it inspires you to get cooking!

Equipment

Although there are many implements and pieces of equipment you can buy, to start on the road to cooking your own Chinese food, you really only need a good knife or two and a wok. Woks come in all shapes and sizes, they can be non-stick, flat-bottomed, they can even be electric these days but I still prefer my old carbon steel wok with its rounded bottom and one wooden handle. This is a Pau wok. These are readily available in Chinese supermarkets and are much less expensive than other varieties. There is one important task though, before you will be ready to cook with such a wok and that is to season it. You will need to scrub it with a cream cleaner to remove any residues of machine oil and dry it carefully. Put the wok on the hob over a low heat. Rub the inside of the wok with two tablespoons of cooking oil using kitchen towel. Let the wok heat slowly for 10 to 15 minutes then wipe the inside with more kitchen towel. The paper will come away black. Carry on coating, heating and cleaning off until the kitchen towel comes away clean. Your wok is now ready to use. After use, wash only in water without detergent and dry thoroughly over a low heat. You may also apply a little oil if you wish. This should prevent the wok from rusting but if it does develop rust, just scrub and season again.

As well as the wok, you will need a wok stand, particularly if you have an electric hob. This keeps the wok stable if you are using it for braising or deep frying.

You will also need something to stir with – any spatula, slice or slotted spoon will do – metal for a metal wok and plastic or wooden for a non-stick wok.

Ingredients
Before you rush out and buy up the whole Chinese section at the supermarket, bear in mind that some ingredients donÂ’t keep well if left unused. Just select something simple from your chosen cookery book and buy the things that you need for that then you can expand your selection as you progress through different dishes.

Some common store-cupboard ingredients that you will almost certainly need are dark and light soy sauce, some sort of cooking oil and sesame oil, cornflour and rice wine or sherry. For more information, see my article Chinese Cooking - Ingredients and Equipment.

Techniques

Stir-Frying

The most well known Chinese cooking technique is stir-frying. This is where your wok comes into its own as itÂ’s shape and size (at least 14 inches diameter with deep sides) is ideal for quick cooking. The secret to successful stir-frying is to have all your ingredients ready in advance.

Meat should be cut according to the recipe but normally in thin strips. Vegetables likewise but in any event should be of similar shapes and sizes to ensure even cooking. Long thin vegetables such as spring onions, carrots or asparagus are often cut on the diagonal so that more surface area is exposed for quicker cooking. Measure out sauce ingredients - check the recipe - if they are all added to the dish at the same time, you can put them all in one small bowl. If cornflour is included, donÂ’t forget to give it a good stir before adding to the other food.

Once you have everything prepared, heat your wok until it is very hot then add oil and using your chosen stirring implement ensure that the oil is evenly distributed over the surface of the wok. Before you add your ingredients. the wok should be so hot that it is almost smoking - this will prevent the food from being greasy. The exception to this is if you are flavouring your oil with chili, chilli, spring onions, ginger or salt - these will burn if the oil is too hot.

Now add your other ingredients in the order stated in the recipe and toss them over the surface of the wok ensuring that nothing rests in one place for too long and moving the food from the centre of the wok to the sides. I suggest that you wear an apron or other protective clothing for this operation as the food often spits due to the high temperature it is cooked at.

Deep Frying
You can use your wok for deep frying but be very careful that it is safely balanced on its stand. Under no circumstances leave it unattended. Deep frying in a wok uses less oil than a deep fryer or saucepan but you may find these safer and easier to use.

When deep frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough before adding ingredients or the food will end up very greasy. Test it by dropping in a small piece of prepared food or a cube of bread. If the oil bubbles up around what you dropped in then itÂ’s hot enough.

Make sure that food to be deep fried is dried thoroughly on kitchen paper or drained of its marinade before cooking otherwise it will spit.

Shallow Frying
This is the same as the Western technique. Fry food on one side, then the other and drain off any excess oil before adding sauce ingredients. A normal frying pan is fine for this.

Steaming
Steaming is widely used in Chinese cookery. You can use a bamboo steamer in a wok, a heat-proof plate placed on a rack in a wok or other large pan or you can use a normal European steamer.

If using a bamboo steamer or plate in a wok, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Put your rack into the wok (if the bamboo steamer is big enough and will sit on the sides of the wok without being in the water, you donÂ’t need a rack) and balance your plate or steamer of food on it. Put the lid on your steamer or wok and check occasionally to see if the water needs topping up (use water which is already hot).

Whichever method you use, make sure that the food is above the water level and isnÂ’t getting wet.

Braising
As with Western cooking, braising is used for tougher cuts of meat and involves gentle cooking of meat and/or vegetables in flavoured stock. Red-braising is the technique where food is braised in a dark liquid such as soy sauce which gives the food a red/brown colour. This type of braising sauce can be frozen and re-used.

Liz Canham

As well as a love of Asian cooking and travel as you can see in her Asian Food and Cookery http://www.lizebiz.com/asian-food
and TravellersÂ’ Tales http://www.travellers-tales.lizebiz.com websites, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz.com website http://www.lizebiz.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Canham

8 Chinese New Year Food Symbols for Happiness, Prosperity and

by Liow Kah Joon

"Lucky" Chinese New Year symbols are an important part of celebrating the Spring Festival. Afterall, it is the start of spring -- a perfect time to have your New Year wishes come true! And what better way to usher in happiness, prosperity and health than to enjoy "auspicious food" with family and friends?

Here are the Top 8 auspicious food symbols for Chinese New Year.

These delicious dishes are served during the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's eve with family members.

For a comphrensive list and description of more Chinese New Year dishes and delicacies, visit:

http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-new-year-symbols.html.

And if you'll like to do some cooking yourself, here are some Chinese New Year recipes:

http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-new-year-recipes.html

Top 8 Auspicious Food Symbols for Chinese New Year

1. Hot Pot

A steaming hot pot (or chinese fondue) with meat, seafood and vegetables) is a must. Huo3 in hot pot huo3 guo3 火锅 is the same word as Huo3 in hong2 huo3 红火 "prosperous and booming".

2. Fish

Another must-have dish if you want to experience abundance in the new year. Fish yu2 鱼 is the most popular dish served during Chinese New Year. In Chinese fish has the same sound as "surplus" and "abundance" 余. A whole fish is served on Chinese New Year's eve for the reunion dinner. Usually the fish is steamed. It is a good omen to leave the bones and head and tail intact. This symbolizes surplus/abundance and a good beginning and end in the new year. Best served whole.

3. Shrimp

Shrimp xia1 虾 in Mandarin and ha in Cantonese sounds like someone laughing. Eat shrimp for happiness and well-being.

4. Boiled dumplings

A Chinese New Year tradition is eating boiled dumplings. These are shaped like gold ingots. Dumplings jiao3 zi 饺子 sounds like jiao1 zi3 交子which means the hour of transition into the New Year. Hence, in northern China, dumplings filled with meat are eaten on Chinese New Year's eve to usher in good luck and wealth in the New Year. Sometimes a coin is placed in one of the dumplings. Whoever bites on it will have plenty of wealth in the new year. When dumplings and yellow noodles are cooked together they mean "golden threads through gold ingots". In the eastern cities of China, like Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou, egg dumplings are eaten as they look like gold ingots.

5. Oyster

Hao2 sounds like hao3 shi4 好事 which means "good things". In southern China, it is served with thin rice noodles.

6. Green vegetables

For close family ties, serve some greens. Qing1 cai4 青菜 sounds like qing1 亲 as in qin1 re 亲热 mea ning "close/intimate"

7. Sticky rice cake

Nian2 gao1 年糕. Nian2 means year and cake gao1 sounds the same as high gao1 高. So eating this steamed cake made of rice flour and topped with red dates has the meaning of attaining greater prosperity and rank in the new year.

8. Noodles

Known as chang2 shou4 mian4 长寿面 meaning "longevity noodles".

A wish for good fortune -- Good Luck, Prosperity, Longevity, Happiness and Abundance -- is central to the Chinese way of life.

Even more so during Chinese New Year!

For a guide to auspicious Chinese symbols and the culture of

http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com. It's guaranteed to expand your world, enhance your lifestyle and enable you to speak better Chinese!

Soyabean Curd Recipe - TooFu Fa

by Edwin Lim

Every morning, I would get out of my bed and gear myself up with jogging equipment to a nearby preserved hill for a morning jog with my girlfriend. After jogging around the hill and coming down from it (which take me aout 45 minutes) at this time there'll be a truck (mobile hawker) selling soyabean curd - TooFu Fa - along the driveway up the hill. I love the texture of smoothness of TooFu Fa with the sweetness of palm sugar syrup. It's delicious and light, great for breakfast or supper. This got me thinking, how about making my own TooFu Fa? That'll be nice. So I beg my heart out to get the below recipe from a friend who owns a Chinese restaurant.

Ingredients to prepare:

3 cups soyabeans, soak for at least 6 hours
a bunch pandan leaves
3 tbsp tapioca/corn flour
1 tbsp gymsum powder (calcium sulphate)

Syrup:
300 g palm sugar
a bunch pandan leaves

instruction to make TooFu Fa:

Separate soaked soyabean into 3 batches, add equal amount of water and grind till fine. Squeeze out all liquid with a piece of muslin cloth into a measuring jar, mix in more water to the paste if necessary to make total 2 liters milk. To make soyabean milk the exact amount of water added is not so important. Put the milk in a large pot filling just about 1/3, add some pandan leaves. Remove foam when necessary and bring to boil for just a few minutes. It tends to foam and overflow, so make sure the fire is low and you're there watching the cooking process! The milk is not ready. (proceed to making syrup, serve hot with syrup or leave in fridge to cool).

To make soyabean curd. Put starch and gypsum powder into a measuring jar and mix with a cup of water, pour in 1-1/2 liters of hot soyabean milk and let stand for 10 minutes to set. Set the remaining milk aside.

To make syrup, simply melt palm sugar with a little water. a bunch of pandan leaves, and filter into a bowl. To serve, simply scoop bean curd into a bowl, add a little syrup (you could add a little soyabean milk in it too). Best eaten hot.

About the author: Edwin Lim is a freelance copywriter and writer who lives in Malaysia. He writes on tips and articles at http://webblogerz.com. Go read.