from.twenty.ten.to.twenty.eleven

i hope you end your year well, with a good ending note. since we didn't escape the christmas and new year by going away, we spent the new year's eve with the family at our sil's place. the dutch called it "jaarwisseling" (changing of year) . the last day of the year is called "oud jaar" (old year) and the first day of the year is called "nieuw jaar" (new year).

a feast. literally surrounded with food. more food.

the preparation. he is not cooking, in fact forbidden to cook and only get the sous chef role with the tasks of chopping and cutting and serving the plate...our little nephew is helping also at the cooking island...

the crew. a little bit of master chef setting, no? the clock is clicking, it's almost dinner time but the food has still a long way to go... notice the empty food warmers waiting to be filled.

my first attempt of a new chiffon cake recipe. my passion fruit chiffon cake.

the guests arrived on time but the dinner is still not yet ready to serve... family, relatives and some invited friends to this feast, mingling around the house and the dining table.

the food fashion show... lots of food. probably enough to feed the entire village...

on the parade:

first row: steamed garlic tiger prawns. chinese herbal chicken. restaurant bought roasted pork belly. vinegar marinated jelly fish.

second row: pangsit or fried wanton. deep fried stuffed crab claw. deep fried battered oysters. sauteed green kaylan.

third row: steamed fish. chili pepper prawns. restaurant bought roasted duck. a cantonese stew of mushroom, scallop. dried oyster and black hair-like algae - a cantonese style traditional new year dish as the black hair moss sound likes "fat choi" which means prosperity in cantonese.

fourth row: roasted pork rib. pandan chiffon cake made by my sil. sago pudding with palm sugar syrup and coconut milk from me. oliebollen courtesy from the invited relative.

we (aka me and him) were pretty much forbidden to cook. he managed to sneak in a chinese herbal chicken that he prepared from home in advance. if not on the request of my sil, i probably won't even allow make the sago pudding with palm sugar syrup and coconut milk.

***

after the dinner...

some playing board games to kill time, while others were singing the rather lame karaoke...

two bottles of bubbles, ready for the pops. filling up the glass in progress...

champagne is ready...

***

counting down....

***

almost midnight...

***

now is the time...

***

fire works and fire crackers are going on a symphony....

firework shot. this is probably the best shot when i got the trick of shutter speed... taken hand held without a tripod.

at midnight, most people had a oilebol, a dutch traditional snack for new year eve, a sort of deep fried dough with donut texture. i rather had a slice of passion fruit chiffon cake with champagne.

***

more champagne...

***

and needless to say, we left at wee hours...

!!happy new year all!!

i wish you all the best in the coming year. as for me, i am going to march into the "year of expansion" which is the theme for 2011, a specifict theme for our church and i can't wait for the Lord to reveal more about the year of expansion to me!