Chinese Dragon Boat Fest 粽香四溢

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Chinese Dragon Boat Fest 粽香四溢

Don't you feel, while, a bit awkward, if to name a fest to remember the first and most fundamental poets in Chinese history, a dragon boat day? Long story in short, even he drown and people racing boat to try to save him and put sweet rice snacks into water to memory him, I still think a National Poets Day or Chinese Memorial Day may be a better (but sounds less fun) choice.
BTW, in Chinese the fest name is Duanwu, perfectly fine and right for season.

It is the mark when is full swing of summer heat. Our tradition including kiddos wear five color strings on hands and a dot of herb liquor on center of forehead, to scare away the deadly disease and/or evils. Five things always on table to enjoy: peach, plum, salted egg, garlic, and Zongzi (Sweet Rice staffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves).
端午吃五子：粽子，桃子，李子，蛋子，蒜子。雄黄和艾草我是遍寻不着啊。

The salted egg tastes the best when it'd been pickled at a perfect time (mine is 21 days), salt (I like them light salted though) and method (very very clean and dip in rice wine before sealed). The "oily" look is a symbol that it's been done in a perfect way. My young picky eaters love this traditional egg, its a quite special appraise to me.

说起来我家的孩子还是蛮中式的：爱粽子，爱咸蛋。

We always end up the very simple and very traditional hometown style: sweet rice, skinless green bean, pork belly. no fancy but bold. It is simple, but all need to soak/marinated over night. Wrapping need special skill, cooking need extra hours. So, it is not a everyday thing to me as most of other dishes.
我们家的老爷是吃粽第一。很好养也很坚持：就老三样 ————好糯米，好绿豆蓉，肥五花。什么栗子咸蛋瑶柱冬菇统统不爱。却也省了我好些气力。

There are so many different way to wrap and stuffing. I guess every city has their own rule. We just play whatever sharps to entertain kids old and young. Who cares? At long as they taste good....

泡米泡豆烫洗粽叶腌肉，已经够累人了。煮也费时间。最可以消遣的就是包粽了吧。你一定看出来包粽子我们太外行，完全缺乏训练的样子。不过这也就没有压力，什么形状大小几个角角的都试试，笑倒一片。孩子们尖叫连连，破了！漏了！怎么办？妈妈就会讲：莫着急，我还有的是粽叶来补 ……^_*

I never like Zong when I was little. They are sticky! And taste plain to me. And the fat part of pork belly...urrr. But you know what, I married to a Zong lover, and two little one crazy about Zong much as their dad. So, whenever I homemade Zong, rather than buy from supermarket, they are so thrilled and the air at home feels alike a fest immediately.

你看，只要馅料正，不破，美味是必须的。我就爱这样豆泥多多肉多多的版形。啊，那五花不是一般的肥和美味啊。

话说我今年拌糯米调味时添了些油，粽子剥开来真的不太粘粽叶，形状不错喔。

This, is actually a perfect one to me. No stuffing, just great quality sweet rice, top with sugar. Size of a bite. And I eat it in many small bites, after a whole long day working on many many big ones.

忙了大半日，我最欣赏的时分，就是落日照进窗，落在最袖珍的一个碱水粽。白砂糖铺上，晶莹剔透。吃得到糯米的质感和香。