This year, Lunar or Chinese New Year coincides with Valentine’s Day. Instead of designing my own mash up celebration, I’m inclined to singularly celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Tiger instead. Sorry, Cupid.
We have needed new dinner plates in my home for a while. In searching for a red and white pattern to replace my chipped and pale Bernardaud Louvre dinnerware, I considered these and these. Ultimately, I purchased the Red Dragon pattern from Mottahedeh. The dragon, a mythical animal that is revered by the Chinese, symbolizes benevolence and good fortune. It is also the ancient royal symbol of the Chinese Emperor. Royal. Undoubtedly, that speaks to The Queen on some subliminal level and must have been the deciding factor in my chosing this service.
Now that we know there will be a party, and it won’t involve paper plates, we can focus on the menu. Chinese tradtion dictates eating dumplings to usher in wealth and good luck for the upcoming year. I can roll with that, for sure. This year, since I’m a little under the weather from some recent surgery, we will have to order in. Auspiciously, my favorite restaurant in Chicago just happens to be Asian and is just around the corner.
I jokingly call Big Bowl on Cedar my second kitchen. We eat there at least twice a week — if not more. Whenever we have guests in from out of town they unanimously request to eat at Big Bowl, too. It’s a place where the food is excellent, the vibe cool, and the prices are like a kiss on the cheek. Add these attributes to a culinary conscience that adheres to authenticity, quality and sustainable resources and it doesn’t get much better than this. No wonder there is a well worn path from our front door to theirs.
To make things really festive, how about a Hibiscus Martini?
Do you recall last month when I recounted my story of sabrage at a party hosted by a gentleman named Adam? That would be Adam Seger, a Chicago mixologist of great acclaim whose latest creation is a liqueur called Hum Spirit –a lush and sophisticated, 70° potion. Hum is rum infused with an exotic blend of hibiscus, kaffir lime, cardamom and ginger.
Hibiscus + Rum = HUM. De-lish!
Big Bowl Hibiscus Martini
In shaker, pour over ice
2oz HUM Spirit Liqueur
1 oz. Yuzu Sour Mix
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Shake and strain into a martini glass and ganish with a wedge of lime and a star anise.
Enjoy!