Kung (or Gung) Hee Fat Choy!

Happy Year of the Pig (as of February 18)!

I am soooo excited - I just discovered a recipe for jien duy over at Dessert First. Go look! This is a sweet you always see at a dim sum restaurant. My grandmother-in-law, the Empress Chow, loves these and so do I. She is 88 years old, and in great shape. Of course, it is a mystery how my 6'2" husband descended from a woman who's about 5 feet tall and probably weighs 90 pounds soaking wet. But that's another story.

These puffy, chewy morsels of goodness are best served piping hot. They are usually stuffed with a red bean paste which, I must say, I probably would prefer to chocolate. Heresy, I know, but in some ways I have quite simple, traditional tastes.

Below is a picture of a Chinese New Year care package that we received from some good friends in Hawaii: A red Chinese banner, macadamia nut kisses (I had no idea those existed), and to my great excitement, a box of candied fruits and nuts from a Honolulu Chinese bakery, Shung Chong Yuein. Some days, I really, really miss Hawaii.