Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

How did you celebrate Christmas? To me, Christmas a great time for traveling and and having a get-together with friends. Other than that, there is not much to look forward to, since I’ve no family here in Canada. To cheer up my Christmas spirit, I might give myself a gift or two for Christmas. I know, it sounds pretty pathetic…

Last year, however, I celebrated Christmas with Miles and his family. A truly Canadian Christmas celebration; Christmas tree, treats, gifts, food etc.

I couldn’t remember the last time I was excited about Christmas and anticipated for the Christmas morning to come. Even though I never truly believed in Santa as a young kid, I was always looking forward to receiving my stuffed Christmas stocking on Christmas morning.

It brought back my childhood memory when I received a stuffed Christmas stocking in the morning! I’ve never had that many Christmas gifts in the past. Unwrapping each gift brought great excitement. That was one of the greatest fun celebrating Christmas!

Christmas decoration on the dining table.

Turkey and ham, with homemade beets and pickles for on Christmas day.

Homemade minced meat pie.

Plum Pudding. A must-have Christmas dessert in Miles’ family. It has a similar taste to fruit cake.

Hard Sauce, goes with the plum pudding. It is made of butter and icing sugar, and tasted like cake batter.

Christmas tree with gifts from Santa!

Cracking the nuts can be fun; walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and almonds.

Christmas is just around the corner! For a Christmas potluck/Yankee swap at work, Miles and I made some gingerbread cookies with royal icing. Yummm…

It was my first time making gingerbread cookies and they turned out wonderful. Nonetheless, I’ll probably put an extra teaspoon or two of ground ginger next time around, for more “gingery” taste cookies :)

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:
6 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup shortening, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup molasses
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Next, gradually stir in the dry ingredients from (1), until they are well incorporated.
3. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Pat down to 1+1/2 inch thickness each, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto a cookie sheet.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies will look dry when done, but still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on wire racks.
6. Decorate cookies when cookies are cooled completely.

* Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Royal Icing

Ingredients:
3 cup icing sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 egg white, beaten

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, sift together icing sugar and cream of tartar. Using an electric hand mixer, beat in 2 beaten egg whites for approximately 5 minutes, or until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape.
2. Add food colouring into icing accordingly. Mix well. Insert icing into an icing bag and decorate cookies accordingly.

* Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Josie, a good friend of Miles and I celebrated her birthday last weekend. We wanted to prepare a birthday cake for her during a Christmas/birthday party at her place. The first question that came into my mind was, “how am I going to incorporate the two themes into the cake?”

Tier cake, fondant covered cake, layered cake etc. After a few days of discussion, we finally decided on a checkerboard cake. Mind you, it’s a festive checkerboard cake!

Josie’s wedding bouquet had her favourite white roses and orange lilies. To personalized the birthday cake, I handmade the flowers with fondant and gum paste as cake decorations.

It seems like a long process preparing just a 4-layer 8-inch round cake. Nevertheless, Miles and I had great fun preparing it, despite the challenging part where we had to put the rings of cake together. A good try!

We were glad that Josie enjoyed the cake. All the “wows” and ‘wahs” we received for the pretty flowers and a surprise festive checkerboard pattern as everyone savoured the cake.

Advent (adventus in Latin meaning “coming”), is observed in many Christian churches during the preparation for Christmas celebration. A practice introduced by the German Lutherans, the Advent calendar starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. An Advent wreath has five candles; candles will be lit one at a time on a Sunday during the Advent season, and the central candle is not lit till Christmas Day. 

First Candle: The Candle of Prophecy/Hope
Second Candle: The Candle of the Way
Third Candle: The Candle of Joy
Fourth Candle: The Candle of Peace
Fifth Candle: The Christ Candle/Christmas Candle

In the commercial world, Advent calendar is widely available. It’s fun for young kids. There’s a piece of chocolate underneath each window with date printed on it. It’s a surprise everyday; pop open the window to receive a treat as Christmas Day approaches. A “big kid” like me is having fun with it :)

Halloween is celebrated on October 31st each year. It’s a secular celebration that involves trick-or-treating for young kids, costume parties, pumpkin carving, ghost tours, watching horror movies etc.

My halloween experience from last year can be found here. This is my first year giving out treats to the young children at the door. Most kids came between 6 and 8 p.m., with their halloween outfit.

Halloween treats.

Trick-or-treating:

This cute “monkey” was my favourite!

Pumpkins were hard to find this year, especially the good ones, due to the wet weather. Nonetheless, we managed to find some small pumpkins for carving.

The black cat.

The haunted house.

The owl.

This big pumpkin was carved a week before Halloween, but it lasted only for a few days before the pumpkin was rotten so badly that we had to throw it out.

An annual event celebrated on the 5thof the fifth month (according to Chinese Lunar Calender), Dragon Boat Festival is deeply rooted in the Chinese culture. Participating in a Dragon Boat Race and eating Zongzi (glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) are some of the ways to celebrate this festival.

The origin of Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate the great patriot poet Qu Yuan.

“Like other Chinese festivals, there is also a legend behind the festival. Qu Yuan served in the court of Emperor Huai during the Warring States (475 – 221 BC). He was a wise and erudite man. His ability and fight against corruption antagonized other court officials. They exerted their evil influence on the Emperor, so the Emperor gradually dismissed Qu Yuan and eventually exiled him. During his exile, Qu Yuan did not give up. He traveled extensively, taught and wrote about his ideas. His works, the Lament (Li Sao), the Nine Chapters (Jiu Zhang), and Wen tian, are masterpieces and invaluable for studying ancient Chinese culture. He saw the gradual decline of his mother country, the Chu State. And when he heard that the Chu State was defeated by the strong Qin State, he was so despaired that he ended his life by flinging himself into the Miluo River.

Legend says after people heard he drowned, they were greatly dismayed. Fishermen raced to the spot in their boats to search for his body. Unable to find his body, people threw zongzi, eggs and other food into the river to feed fish, so hoped to salvage his body. Since then, people started to commemorate Qu Yuan through dragon boat races, eating zongziand other activities, on the anniversary of his death, the 5thof the fifth month.”

* From About.com

I missed the Zongzi (a.k.a. rice dumpling) from home. The rice dumpling is so popular that it’s easily available all year round. The preparation is time consuming and very skill demanding. Since I couldn’t get any fresh ones here in Fredericton, I made some a few years ago to soothe my cravings. It was a tedious process. I’ll have to improve on my wrapping skills for the rice dumplings appear to be more presentable.

The 5th Annual Dragon Boat Race was held in the city of Fredericton in September. Why in September? I’m not exactly sure. In my humble opinion, spring weather might still be cold. The summer months allow participants to sharpen their rowing skills, so that they’ll be ready for the race when it comes fall. Furthermore, most people are away during summer for vacation and spending time with family & friends. Needless to say, winter is not on the option list due to the extreme cold temperature and frozen river.

Majority of the participants are amateur rowers. The race is considered more like a friendly match rather than a competitive one.

It turned out to be a nice day for the Dragon Boat Race on a Sunday morning.

Participants were getting ready.

The competition began!

Boat No. 2 was the winner in this elimination round.

Acadia, is another name for the Canadian Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), as well as Maine in the United States. Among these places, about 86% of the total Acadian population settled in New Brunswick. Acadians are known as the descendants of the 17th century French colonists.

The Acadian Day is celebrated annually on August 15th. It’s a celebration of the Assumption of Mary. The date of celebration was set in 1881 in Memramcook, New Brunswick, at the first National Convention of the Acadians.

In conjunction with this special occasion, there were bouquets of flowers on sale. How were they special? These flowers came in yellow, blue, red, and white; just like the Acadian flag! How nice… The blue roses were especially precious. I’ve been wanting to get some in the past, and my dream came true… when Miles handed me this unique bouquet of flowers as a surprise gift. ^v*

A bouquet of red, white, and blue roses; matching colours of the Acadian flag.

The red rose.

The white rose.

The blue rose.

The “Fireworks Extravaganza” began at 10:40 p.m., presented by Fredericton Civic Pride and sponsored by Remax Realty. It was a good 20 minutes of fireworks, with stunning appearance and creative effects. There were amazing fireworks displays; some of which were presented in surprising and unexpected ways.

The celebration of 142th Canada Day came to an end before midnight.

The Canada Day Parade started at 4 p.m., with the theme “Colour me Canadian – A Celebration of Creativity and Diversity.” It was known to be one of Canada’s only “Green” parades. Various organizations and cultural associations from the community were involved in this event.

Happy Canada Day! Despite the overcast weather for the most part of the day, Canada Day celebration turned out to be a joyful and memorable one. July 1st… I could hardly believe that summer is here!

I’m amused by the identical weather on Canada Day for the third year in a row (at least); overcast during the day, and some rain during or after the parade which usually starts at 4 p.m. I couldn’t help but thinking: Is it coincidental or being planned for? Even though it wasn’t a hot sunny day, I was contented with the cool and dry weather.

Canada Day celebration kicked off  in downtown Fredericton at noon with the “Civic Pride Block Party,” which also known as Canada’s largest Block Party. Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Artillery School presented the “Twenty-one Gun Salute” (deployed from the Carleton Park). The opening ceremony took place at the Officer’s Square downtown, at 2 p.m. The public was invited to participate in the singing of national anthem “O Canada” and cake cutting ceremony.

Canada Day Cake Cutting Ceremony.

The Officer’s Square.

Across from the street, there were food vendors with their food stands set up by the riverfront. Besides that, fun rides for the kids and game stalls can be found there too.

Mini Ferris Wheel for kids.

Hmm…cotton candy? Popcorn?

The game stall.

The riverfront at downtown Fredericton.

Canada Day tattoos!

A little kid on a big truck.

It was Sugar Bush weekend on Mar. 21st and 22nd this year. Special events were held at the Kings Landing Historical Settlement, which generally opens to the public only during the summer and fall seasons.

The busy crowd has taken me by surprise when I arrived with a group of friends around 10 a.m. last Saturday. There were long lineups to purchase admission tickets. After standing in line for fifteen minutes to pay for the ticket and breakfast, it was an hour later before we were being seated for breakfast. The busy crowd was unbelievable. I had been there in the previous years and it was usually quiet in the morning. Everyone decided to be there early to beat the crowd this year, I supposed. Unfortunately, things are unpredictable sometimes.

The pancake and maple syrup breakfast is an annual fundraiser event organized by the York Sunbury Search & Rescue. A hearty and delicious breakfast. It was worth the wait!

The volunteers in orange shirts were busy serving the crowd.

A generous serving of breakfast; two pancakes with maple syrup, toast, two sausages, two strips of bacon, baked beans, and scrambled eggs. Yummy!

Horse-drawn wagon rides were offered to visitors.

Maple sap was boiled in iron cauldrons over an open fire, as a demonstration of maple and sugar making 150 years ago. A lady in costume was scooping out some piping hot maple syrup to make maple candies.

A sweet treat of candy-on-the-snow was sold for $2/stick.

The making of candy-on-the-snow: pour hot maple syrup on snow, and roll the slightly harden candy with a stick when settled.

The super sweet maple candy. It was a nice treat!

How much maple sap is required to produce pure maple syrup? The ratio of maple sap needed and pure maple syrup produced was a stunning 40:1!! The making of maple syrup is highly weather-dependent; slightly above freezing point during the day and a few degrees below overnight is perfect for maple sap flow. The harvest season again, is weather-dependent; usually about three weeks. Pure maple syrup is costly.

A demonstration of wool processing with a spinning wheel.

An iron cooking stove/oven in a farmhouse.

A close look at the ancient cooking stove/oven.

A sampling of buckwheat cake was offered.

Subsequently, we made our way to the Joslin farm to visit some animals; sheep, chickens, pigs etc.

Sheep in the barn.

The grist mill and frozen stream.

Winter view at the waterfront.

I’ve been participating in the Sugar Bush weekend for the past few years and truly enjoyed it. It’s a must-see for those who like to experience the welcoming of spring in a traditional New Brunswick fashion.

It was St. Patrick’s Day yesterday. Go GREEN with a big GRIN!! Wearing a green shirt, putting on St. Paddy’s costume and accessories, and drinking green beer are some of the ways to celebrate this Irish national holiday. It’s widely celebrated in many places around the world; North America, England, Australia, and New Zealand.

This special day was celebrated in local Irish churches during early 17th century. It’s an annual feast day (usually Mar. 17th) to celebrate Saint Patrick (c. AD 385-461), a patron saint in Ireland. St. Patrick is believed to have used shamrock (a three-leaved plant) to explain Holy Trinity to the Irish. St. Patrick’s Day is known as a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. It’s a major celebration for those of Irish decent, with an increasing number of non-Irish people participate in the celebration each year.

Besides some exciting parades held in different cities worldwide, Chicago river (Chicago, Illinois) is dyed green annually for this special occasion. Furthermore, Calgary Tower in Canada replaced its top exterior lights to green compact fluorescent lamps in conjunction with St. Paddy’s Day celebration this year.

Looking for a special treat for St. Paddy’s Day? How about a slice of yummy chocolate cake, coated with incredibly delectable ganache and sprinkled with candied shamrocks? Best of all, it contains a secret ingredient which has a lot to do with Irish! Guess what? Two cups of Guiness stout in this cake! Surprisingly, I didn’t taste the beer at all. A very “chocolatety” cake, loved it!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Valentine’s chocolates, candies, and soft toys have been put on shelves at various stores, more than a month ago; basically after the Christmas and New Year’s celebration. Scratching your head what to get for loved one?

Chocolates? 

Soft toys?

 Why not consider something else? Something unique for your special one. Instead of chocolates, soft toys, or flowers, spare some time & effort making some baked goods!  Melt your valentine heart with some thoughtful and delicate valentine cookies and/or cupcakes. Yumm…

Wishing everyone a Happy V-Day!!!

I’m obsessed with picture taking of overhanging ice lately :P Pictures are best taken under the sun, at the right angle. The overhanging ice varies in length and thickness. It is a result of melting snow from the rooftop when temperature rises, followed by dripping water from the roof edges; and finally, freezing of water in the sub-zero climate. There forms the overhanging ice!

Even though they are nice to look at, be aware of falling ice as you walk pass these buildings. Don’t take the risk parking your car close to them! I can’t picture what would happen if the ice falls on someone’s head…

Of course, there is always pretty snow in the winter that we shouldn’t miss!

Have you had a chance to take a close look at the snowflakes? The gorgeous snowflakes don’t come by easy, depending on the temperature, humidity etc. These snow crystals are formed as a result of water vapour condensation, which leads to the creation of ice. This process takes place in clouds. The growth of crystals contributes to the unique pattern of snowflakes. You’ll be amazed to find out that there is no two snowflakes that look alike! This is comparable to the DNA profile of human beings; snowflakes have individual identities! How neat  =D

There are many customs and traditions in the Chinese culture during Chinese New Year; food symbolism is one of them. Why is a certain dish served during the festive season? What does it symbolize? The list below shows some common food items served during the Chinese New Year celebration.

Steamed whole chicken: unity of  family (whole chicken symbolizes completeness), and purity (light colour of cooked chicken).

Fish: prosperity. In Mandarin and Cantonese, “鱼 (yu)” is homonym of the character “余” which means remaining or in excess. Hence, there should always be some leftover of fish, which symbolizes abundant wealth.

Noodles (long and uncut): longevity.

Black moss: prosperity. In Cantonese, “fatt” in “发菜 (fatt choy)” means good fortune.

Dumplings: wealth (shaped like the yuanbao ingot). In Mandarin, “饺子 (jiao zi)” is homonym of the characters for coins “角子” used in the olden days. Besides, it has the meaning of cohesiveness.

Sweet glutinous rice balls: unity, completeness. “汤圆 (tang yuan)” in Mandarin, is prepared with either ground peanuts or sweet azuki beans filling, in sweet broth. The suspension of glutinous rice ball in the sweet broth when served, looks identical to full moon in the sky. The sweet taste implies sweetness of life.

New Year’s cake: cohesiveness and advancement. In Mandarin, “nian” in “年糕 (nian gao)” is homonym of the character “粘” which means stickiness; “gao” is homonym of the character ” 高” which has the meaning of tall, and hence understood as high achievements. “步步高升” in Chinese characters.

Pineapple: wealth and good fortune. In Cantonese, “wong” in “黄梨(wong lai) ” is homonym of the character “旺” for good fortune.

Mandarin oranges: gold. In Cantonese, “柑 (kam)” is homonym of the character gold “金”.

Peanuts: fertility, prosperity, and longevity. The Chinese characters “花生 (Hua sheng)” indicates growth, which can then be translated as continual growth of offspring or wealth. Peanuts also referred to as “长生果(chang sheng guo)”, which literally means long life fruit.

Ground peanuts: wealth. The ground peanuts that are yellowish brown in colour, resemble golden sand. In Chinese characters, “金沙满堂 (jin sha man tang)”.

You’d probably reazlie that most of the Chinese New Year wishes, or food symbolism in this case, has a lot to do with wealth and fortune. Why is it so? This can be explained by the active involvement of Chinese in trade and business for centuries. Nowadays, these good wishes can even be addressed to investments that someone has, career advancement (higher position = wealthier) etc.  Thus, it’s considered a high compliment to someone who receives wishes in the context of wealth and good fortune.

These fascinating believes can be rather interesting, and certainly spice up the celebration of Chinese New Year. So, be sure to feed yourself well for a happy and prosperous year ahead of you!