迎春接福!

This Spring Festival is like no other!

We are constantly reminded to not let our guard down

That means everyone will have a rather subdued spring festival

Some have even labelled it inauspicious because of the many restrictions

Cast away the negative thoughts and concentrate on things that are positive

What about lucky foods ? ( Hey I am a nutritionist after all) 🙂

Roll your fresh pineapples (a peranakan traditional) into the house 旺來. It sounds like prosperity comes

Not many can bake because it is not easy. Be creative instead

Dress up your pineapple as a colourful side dish

Include the following foods in your menu

1. Crabs My mum says crabs walk sideways so a play of words for 横财順利 symbolizing extra lucky windfall

2. Lotus root in Cantonese sounds like there will be a surplus of good things 蓮藕年年有 Nin Ngau Nin Nin Yau

3. Leeks 算 good accounting and planning for profitable business

4. Radish 菜頭 sounds the same as 彩頭 which means good omen.

5. Oyster and black moss 蠔豉髮菜 which sounds like 好事發財 Prosperity and Good Fortune.

6. Fish 魚 sounds like 余 meaning surplus

7. Lettuce - 生菜 sounds like 生财 Grow luck . It also means energetic and alive !

8 ) Nian Gao 年糕 which sounds like 年高.To achieve new heights in career or school grades

These foods are a ‘must have’ in my family

In the run up to the festive preparation, I had my good and goofy moments

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Good moment!

This year while I was cooking the jam over a charcoal stove I saw what I thought was a rat skittering along the wall of my back yard

I was startled . But rats do not venture out when humans are around.

Then I realised there were 2 shrews. Commonly known as money rats 錢鼠

My mum calls them silver rats 銀鼠

Shrews are smaller have shorter tails and fur that is glossy grey

They make a sharp sounds like the clink of coins

Many Chinese believe that having a shrew as a house guest is a sign of good fortune !

The double yolk was intact as compared to the one in 2020 which was messy! With 20/20 hindsight it must have an omen for a turbulent time (pandemic)

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Goofy moment!

I was distracted while the second tray was in the bake and the result was King Alfred Cakes!

Louisaz wishes you a Happy Spring Festival and the good fortune that it brings !