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| Find out what the Year of the Wood Horse holds in store for your Chinese animal sign! |
Happy New Year!
Gung Hei Fatt Choi in Cantonese or...
Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin or ...
Chuc Mung Nam Mui in Vietnamese!
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| Lucky Candies in lieu of Lucky Money |
Foodies unite! Chinese Lunar New Year takes place earlier in 2014 than in 2013! Most folks think it's only a 15-days food festival to end all festivals, starting on New Year's Day which happens to be Friday January 31st, 2014 and wrapping up with the Lantern Festival 15-days later on Valentine's Day. Shhhh! We'll let you in on one of the best-kept secrets. If you count the exciting preparatory week prior to curtains going up on Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve, it becomes a 21-day food festival to rejoice, relish and share!
It's hard to believe, but 17 years ago I had guests who had done either the Lost First Chinatown Food Tour or the Second Chinatown Foodie Tour, and requested for behind-the-scenes food tours during Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, so they can understand and embrace the richness of old and new customs, traditions and superstitions. So in 1997, I obliged by launching my first annual Chinese Lunar New Year food tours lasting two weeks, and by 2007 we offered the exciting preparatory celebratory and Grand Finale periods on the 3-week food tours, but I also launched a hosted Chinese New Year's Eve and Day multi-course banquets for folks intrigued by the dictate of old customs, traditions and superstitions.
The hosted multi-course banquets were also a reflection of the demographic trends: my own mother, who like many others Chinese moms and grandmothers, was beginning to find it too challenging to cook 8 to 12 symbolic dishes from scratch. It was time to gracefully take the task away from her, and allow her to enjoy the numerous dishes sans exhaustion, and my sister and I no longer had to deal with the mountain of dirty dishes, pots and pans afterwards! Thanks to a request three years ago, I will be hosting my second annual Lantern Festival banquet. As a locally born and bred Chinese, I feel lucky to be able to share my own culture/heritage mixed in with local Toronto Chinese history, and then toss in full sensory experience as we experience the gastronomic part of this festival.
So lets celebrate together by bidding the Year of the Water Snake farewell, and welcoming in the Year of the Wood Horse with Culinary Historian, Guide & Founder, Shirley Lum of A Taste of the World while peeling back the layers of history in Toronto’s second Chinatown on intimate food tours and/or hosted multi-course banquets. You will experience equal portions of food-for-thought, palate and full-sensory experiences as Shirley shares old and new customs, traditions, and superstitions behind the festive food and drinks!
Long-time locals, newcomers and visitors
have three exciting ways to
immerse themselves in this festival of all Chinese food festivals!
(I) 17th Annual Chinese Lunar New Year's Food Tours (3 unique periods to immerse oneself on intimate tours):
(i) Preparations for Chinese New Year’s Eve
Dates: Fri., Sat. & Sun. January 24, 25, 26, 2014
Time: 10:00 am-1:30 pm
Meet: Lucky Moose Mart, 393 Dundas St W
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| Floral decorations 2013 |
Need more luck in 2014? Find out how you can get the most out of the Year of the Wood Horse as Culinary Historian Shirley Lum shares some of the necessary ways to spruce up your home and office for this exciting new year! This behind-the-scenes food tour includes hosted dim sum complete with review of chopsticks & tea pouring etiquettes over Chinese horoscope book for Year of the Wood Horse; Asian grocery store tour with bi-lingual shopping list to pick-up symbolic and essential ingredients to prep in cooking/decorating; restaurant supply store for essential decorations & to replenish your pantry; and bakery visit and tasting of symbolic festive pastries.
Note: Each tour is limited to 11 spots to keep it intimate
Fees ($CAD; Cash on day of the tour; include food + non-alcoholic drinks; $CAD): Adult $50.00 SR/ST (ID)$45.00 Child (3-12yrs old) $35.00
(ii) Celebration of the Year of the Wood Horse
Dates: Fri., Sat. & Sun. January 31, February 1, 2 (Sold Out), 8, 9, 2014
Time: 10:00 am-1:30 pm
Meet: Lucky Moose Mart, 393 Dundas St W
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| Lion Dance 2013 |
If you love the thrill and excitement of celebrations, then the food tours that take place on these dates will tickle your fancy! Each tour includes hosted dim sum where your host aka culinary historian, Shirley Lum orders a variety of aromas, flavours, and textures to tantalize all your senses while keeping with symbolism needed for luck! An Asian grocery store tour to pick-up ingredients to cook/decorate/to be gifted will make folks popular as they attend parties afterwards! Don't forget to save some room for the bakery tastings of symbolic pastries; and high chances of catching Lion Dances this weekend. Bring digital cameras for added bonus of Lion Dances!
Note: Each tour is limited to 11 spots to keep it intimate
Fees (incl food + non-alcoholic drinks; $CAD): Adult $50.00 SR/ST (ID)$45.00 Child (3-12yrs old) $35.00
(iii) Lantern Festival: Grand finale of 15-day festivities
Date: Fri. February 14, 2014
Time: 10:00am-1:30pm
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| Lanterns 2013 |
The Lantern Festival or Big New Year, formally ends the New Year celebrations, marking the return of the spring light and the lengthening of the day! In 2014 it is double luck for attendees as it also falls on Valentine's Day! This tour includes hosted dim sum; lantern shop; Asian grocery store tour to pick-up ingredients to cook/decorate; and bakery tasting of symbolic pastries for the grand finale of Chinese Lunar New Year plus Valentine's Day.
Note: Tour is limited to 11 spots to keep it intimate
Fees (incl food + non-alcoholic drinks; $CAD): Adult $50.00 SR/ST (ID)$45.00 Child (3-12yrs old) $35.00
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| Reserve your place setting now! |
(II) Join our 7th Annual Chinese Lunar New Year's Day 11-course Banquet to kick-off the Year of the Wood Horse
Date: Fri. January 31st, 2014
Time: 6:00- 8:00 pm
Location: Taste of China Seafood Restaurant
Fees: $58.00 per person OR $500.00 a table of 10
Notes: Two tables have been reserved. Total 18 seats available at this point. Please book your spots soon to avoid being disappointed.
Join Culinary historian, Shirley Lum and other guests as she shares the rich symbolism, rituals and superstitions behind this elaborate communal meal traditionally reserved for immediate family members, now limited to a few special guests. Each guest gets a keepsake at the end of this splendid night!
2014 Menu:
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| Lobster platter 2013 |
* Stir-Fried Big Shrimps
* Phoenix Nest w/ Seafood Medley & Vegetables
* Whole Crispy Chicken w/ flavoured Salt/pepper + Shrimp Chips
* Pork Chops w/ House BBQ sauce
* Four Treasure Braised Vegetables
* Double Lobsters with Ginger, Garlic & Green Onion
* Whole Steamed Fish
* E-Mein (noodles)
* Yeungchow Fried Rice
* Sweet Dessert Soup & Fortune Cookies
(III) Grande Final: Second Annual Lantern Festival 8-course Banquet (and hint...hint... Valentine's Day)
Date: Fri. February 14th, 2014
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Location: Taste of China Seafood Restaurant
Fees: $50.00 per person OR $480.00 a table of 10
Note: Two tables have been reserved. Total 18 seats available at this point. The Lantern Festival or Big New Year, formally ends the New Year celebrations, marking the return of the spring light and the lengthening of the day! How are lanterns connected with this day? Find out over this special communal meal. Each guest gets a keepsake at the end of this splendid night. Bring digital cameras!
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| Shrimp platter 2013 |
2014 Menu:
* Crab Meat & Fish Maw Soup
* Scallop with Meat
* Big Tiger Shrimps
* Crispy Whole Chicken with Flavoured Salt/Pepper and garnished with Shrimp Chips
* Traditionally Braised dish of Tofu, Meat & vegetables
* Double Lobsters with Ginger, Garlic & Green Onions
* Steamed Whole Fish
* Sweet Dessert Soup & Fortune Cookies
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| Feng Shui tip: Place bamboos in your SE corner for Wealth in 2014! |
Book your spots now by email info@Torontowalksbikes.com or
via Faceook http://Facebook.com/pages/A-Taste-of-The-World-Walks/187276987505?ref=ts or by phone (416) 923-6813
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