Welcoming the Year of the Metal Ox

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Kung Hei Fat Chai!

No matter how they are said, these greetings for the Lunar New Year or more popularly referred to as the Chinese New Year are among the most said and heard during the biggest celebrations during the first two months of every year.

Together with Valentine's Day and for the Ilonggos, Dinagyang Festival, these events shaped our malling, shopping and eating weeks or days leading to these events.

So it's like an extension of the December holidays with a more thematic gastronomy served in and out of our homes.

A few days before the Chinese New Year, I received a basket from Iloilo Supermart filled with lots and lots of Chinese delicacies and snacks one can find at their grocery stores.

Ranging from the CNY staple Tikoy that came in various sizes and variants, there was also some hopia, rice & peanut rolls and kiamoy among others in the snacks basket.

That became a sign that welcoming the Year of the Metal was to be celebrated.

Come February 12, 2021, it was a simple Pinoy-style celebration without the Chinese traditional fanfare - just foods with Chinese influence, fruits that are often associated with the occasion and the delectable goodies from Iloilo Supermart.

So, here's a little round up of the simple gastronomic celebration we had to usher in the 2021 Lunar New Year!

Tikoy

Fried Tikoy dipped in Egg

Eggless fried Tikoy

Monggo filled Tikoy Balls

Peanut, Beans, Sesame Tikoy

Lomi with Pan de Leche

Hopia

Longevity Peach Buns

This Chinese dessert bun from Tinapayan Bakeshop at Iloilo Supermart is made with soft white dough and filled with yellow bean paste.

They are shaped and colored like peaches to symbolize the blessings for a long life.

Kiat-Kiat

On a side note, most of the goodies from Iloilo Supermart were actually gone even days before the celebration, so they never actually reached the climax of the celebration.

Maybe next year...

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