Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Chinese New Year's Table


Gung Hoy Fat Choy!

Chinese New Year's begins on February third.  Our family celebrated a little early and had a Chinese New Year's feast this week.   This year is the year of the rabbit.  The Chinese call the New Year's the Spring Festival.  The Chinese character below means Spring.



Image from ChinaPage.Com

I love making and eating Chinese food and it is fun to set a Chinese table; welcome to Tablescape Thursday.  I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a Chinese New Year's Parade in San Francisco once; but celebrating it at home can be fun too!

My individual placesetting.  I have drawn upon some traditional colors in Chinese culture.

This is my dish stack crowned with wooden chopsticks.  I am fairly good at using them, how about you?  I have included a fork for all of your that aren't comfortable using chopsticks.


I am not sure if a plaid napkin really fits in, but I liked it on the table.


Is this working for you as a Chinese Lantern?


I bought these brass Chinese characters many years ago in San Francisco's China Town


We feasted on lemon chicken -- it is my favorite Chinese main dish recipe.  It is a bit time-consuming to make, but worth every minute.  I have made it about once a year for about the last 25 years. 


Jacqueline, Purple Chocolat Home, and I have made this many times together as one of the menu items for a family Chinese feast.  Lemon Chicken is a family favorite.


I hope you enjoyed your visit to Red Couch Recipes and that you will have a prosperous Chinese New Year!  Grab an orange.  In China towns all over the world, they will be stocking up on oranges as they are a symbol of prosperity.


Table Information:

Placemats, Black Dinner Dishes, Red Dinner Dishes, Flatware, Red Ramekins,Black Wire Basket:  Wal-Mart
White Salad Plates:  Smith's Grocery Store
Red Goblets:  Costco
Red Plaid Napkins:  K-Mart
Napkin Rings:  Style Sisters
Lantern:  Pier 1
Brass Chinese Characters:  SF Chinatown

29 comments:

www.thewhitefarmhouse2.blogspot.com said...

Beautiful job with the table. I love black and red together. I am hoping for a recipe for the lemon chicken in the near future. It looks absolutely delicious!

Jacqueline said...

Oh, the Lemon Chicken is my favorite and I remember all the years at college we made it together. I need to make it soon too.

Love the table. I didn't know it was here already. I am just fair with the chopsticks but I know that I could grab a few of the pieces of chicken, no problem. Those Chinese symbols made out of brass are spectacular.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Love this table. I'm going to do a Chinese New Years table next week! Hope mine looks half as good as yours! (I have those same plaid napkins and I'm using them on this weeks tablescape.) I'm not so good with chopsticks but love to try!

Anonymous said...

what a beautiful table and fun celebration!

Marlis said...

I think I'll be looking for a recipe for lemon chicken. Yours looks fabulous. I do love your table and the Chinese lantern is great! I am pretty good with chopsticks, so I am always delighted to see them on a table.. maybe I'll just borrow your theme for next week! ha ha. Thanks for dropping in with your kind comments. Regan really isn't allowed on tables, he's still learning that little often forgotten rule of living with humans.

Marigene said...

I love your red, white and black table!

Tricia said...

Great table! My granddaughter is studying Chinese (she's 7) in school, so I'll bet she would love to celebrate the Chinese New Year this way! Your family is blessed to have such a creative and enthusiastic mom!

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

What a scrumptious table!!! I love the details you've used and OH Would I LOVE to have some of your Lemon Chicken!!! Those Chinese trivets are WONDERFUL!!! I will definitely be LOOKING FOR THOSE! Thank you SO much for sharing this special event with us.
Hugs to you,
Donna

Lynn said...

What a fun table Joni, love the colors! The lemon chicken sounds fantastic, will we be seeing it for Foodie Friday? All I can say about chopsticks is, they're perfect for a diet... eating goes very slowly:@)

Sue said...

I want to come to your house for Chinese food! I love it, but the only thing I ever make is fried rice, which is a favorite. Your table is so festive too! My husband is pretty proficient with the chopsticks, though I am not. I should probably use them to cut down my portion size:)

Kelly Massman said...

Looks great! I tutor two Chinese girls and one guy so I'm always interested in the culture and food!

Cricket said...

Oh Joni.....I love it!!!!!!!

Beth said...

Love the red, white and black color combination. Your table is really lovely. I like the Valentine tempate on your blog, and I really enjoyed reading your "About Me" tab. I am a feral cat feeder/rescuer/spayer too! Have a wonderful wknd, Joni!
Blessings, Beth

Slice of Pie Cookbooks and Entertaining said...

We're out and about early for Tablescape Thursday, huh?!! I love your Chinese New Year Tablescape ... Red always makes me happy! Thanks for dropping by to see my pinecones ... Thanks for sharing!

The Charm of Home said...

We love Chinese food. It is wonderful to eat and a feast for the eyes on your tablescape. You tablescape is very bright and captures the spirit of the New Year nicely.
Sherry

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

Hi Joni, I would love to see the recipe for your lemon chicken. Am I missing it or will you share it soon, please? I have used the same lantern on my table today!! Your table is so pretty and inviting. I hope it is not too cold where you are! We are having another storm tonight! Linda

Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com said...

What a gorgeous table! I would like your recipe for lemon chicken since I'll probably be frying some wontons for Chinese New Year anyway.

Debbie said...

Obviously a smashing success since I now want Chinese food AND I want to celebrate Chinese New Year. I'm glad you included the fork for the dorks like me. Love all your elements, even those checked napkins. Whether they are Asian inspired or not, I just plain like them on the table.

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

This is a table perfectly set for Chinese New Year! Love it.

Sarah said...

Wonderful table and meal, Joni. I've been thinking about what I'll do this year for my Chinese New Year table. I had great fun with last year's tiger. ;-)
~ Sarah

Elle Belles Bows said...

Stunning as always! I want to be at your table! Kerri

Entertaining Women said...

You've created a beautiful sophisticated tablescape for your Chinese New Years dinner. Thank you for sharing your lovely design. Cherry Kay

Mary said...

This is a very pretty table scape! I would like to invite you to link this up to my new link party, Masterpiece Monday, at Boogieboard Cottage. The link will be up all week. Take care, Mary :O)

Mary said...

How fun to celebrate the Chinese New Year at your table this week! I love your stacked plates & your Lemon Chicken looks delish :-)

Chubby Chieque said...

I am happy to see Asian settings too. I need to do one day.

Gong xi fa choy!

Happy TS,
/chie

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Joni, the whole table works for me. You've thought of every detail, and yes, I can use chopsticks and am fairly proficient... or I used to be. LOL! I haven't eaten Chinese food in a while. I was just saying to someone that I would love to have some. I have some china with an Asian motif that I plan to use in a tablescape in the not too distant future. I've just got to upload the pictures. I take too many, and then I have a hard time picking the ones I like best. Do you do that?

Happy Tablescape Thursday to you...oh, and I read on Jacqueline's blog that you are coming up on an anniversary. Great job with your blog!

XO,

Sheila :-)

CJ Foss said...

Great idea. My daughter-in-law's birthday is February 3 so I may give her a Chinese Happy New Year party. Your Chinese characters were an awesome find. Happy New Year! ~CJ

Lori @ Dining Delight said...

Yumm, love lemon chicken too but have never made it myself! Yours looks so delish! What a wonderful tradition to celebrate the Chinese New Year and I find the colour red links it to V's day too! Terrifically themed tablescape!

DD

Alycia Nichols said...

I'm glad to see someone else doing a Chinese New Year table! I've got a luncheon planned for the 2nd, and have already done a "run-thru" on the table since this will be my first time. I love the Chinese symbols you picked up in China town! I also love it that you feel comfortable making Chinese food at home. I always order in...can't make it as good as the restaurant no matter how hard I try! :-( Have a wonderful week!

Engageya