New Year’s 2013

Happy New Years!

I know I am late with the wishes, but the New Year has been very busy. I have been sewing and I tend to get tunnel vision when I am in the sewing mode.



In Japan the most important and elaborate holiday is Oshogatsu — the celebration of the New Year. We celebrated this year with friends Paula & Dan, my sister Fay and her husband Leith.

Oshogatsu is celebrated with family and we are often with the Golf Guy’s family. As we weren’t this year, it was up to him to prepare the food. The food for Japanese New Year is called osechi-ryori. Traditionally, people finish preparing osechi dishes by New Year's Eve so that they have food for a couple days.
This was definitely true in our house this year. 

If I haven’t mentioned it before, the GG is a fantastic cook. Although I love to cook I am blessed to have a husband who is so talented.

I (of course) was in charge of the table. I combined Japanese and western elements.



The dragon is a sake bottle that was a gift from the GG’s cousins. They traveled from Japan last summer for the family reunion.



I placed Japanese coins next to him for prosperity in the New Year. I have had them since I was 21 when I was exchange student with Lion’s Club International.

New hashi (chopsticks) rest upon a napkin at the edge of the starfish appetizer plates.



The starfish is said to hold characteristics of guidance, vigilance, inspiration, brilliance and intuition. Definitely something we can all use at the start of a new year. 





Cranes, a symbol of longevity and good fortune, rest in the small oval dishes from Pier 1 that will hold the shoyu (soy sauce).



The porcelain  cranes



will be used as hashi rests during the meal.



Of course there was champagne.

 

We started with appetizers of hot, sweet & spicy turkey meatballs with dipping sauce .



Paula brought fabulous crab cakes that she served on a mixed green salad for the second course.



The entrees were laid out on the sideboard.



There was salmon with lemon.



Cucumber salad with sesame seeds.



Chashu (pork) is on the front platter, Mafa chicken in the white bowl and sushi on the cake plate. 



Dessert was a yummy apple crisp made by my sister using Honeycrisp apples. Have you tried them yet? They have become our favorite. The crisp was served with vanilla ice dream and shots of espresso. Of course by that time we were all so relaxed I forgot to take pictures. Sorry Fay.

May your new year be filled with good health, much happiness and lots of love.



Stitch at you Soon,

Dawna

Partying with:
The Tablescaper - Seasonal Sundays
Between Naps on the Porch - Metamorphosis Monday 
A Stroll Thru Life - Tabletop Tuesday
The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday