Blog entry

Singapore has opened up post-pandemic, so the shop is re-opened for business! Sorry for the long wait!

中秋节 Mid-Autumn Festival 2018

Today is Mid-Autumn Festival which is celebrated on the 15th of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.In China, the government designated this festival as a public holiday in 2008 in order to promote traditional culture.

中元节 Hungry Ghost Festival 25 Aug 2018

Today is the Hungry Ghost Festival which is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month in China. The souls of the dead are supposed to return during the seventh month so this is a day in which offerings to ancestors are made, lanterns floated on rivers for the departed, incense and paper offerings, some of them very elaborate burnt for the use of the dead.

Here is how Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated in Singapore where I live.

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2160024/singapores-hungry-ghost-festival-what-do-lion-city-during

Chinese Lion Dancers at Suntec City Mall (Singapore)

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I went to Suntec City Mall last week to run some errands. The shops have just reopened after the Chinese New Year public holidays and a lion dance troupe were going around the various shops in the mall to perform and collect red packets. It is supposedly good luck to have lions perform for your shop, the downside being that the owner have to prepare a fat red packet for the privilege. Chinese New Year is an important time for lion dance troupes to perform and fill their coffers so you can hear the drums wherever you go in Singapore during this period.

Today is the Eve of Chinese New Year!

Today is Chinese New Year's Eve in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong as well as Singapore (same time zone UST+8 ).祝大家狗年身体健康,财源滚滚!

Nostalgic Traditional Singapore Chinese Biscuit 耳朵饼 (ear biscuit)

Ear Biscuit

This is a kind of old-fashioned spicy but sweet Chinese biscuit popular in my childhood. The specks on top are white sesame. If you are from Singapore or Malaysia and of a certain age, you might recognize them though I'm not sure if youngsters still eat them nowadays. They are called 耳朵饼 ("ear biscuits") because they are spiral-shaped like ears. I think the spicy taste might be from Chinese five-spice powder. I never really liked them as a kid because I've always hated the weirdly spicy taste.

Here's a recipe from someone else:

Ear Biscuits Recipe