Celebrations associated with CNY includes eating sumptuous food and having some nice tasty snacks and sweets. Jingle all the way: There are both, original and trendy products that are available for sale and for giving during this winter holiday. But when it comes to CNY treats, should you stick to tradition or be more innovative and go for modern styled CNY treats? Here’s a comparison that should make things easier so you could make the right decision.
Traditional CNY Goodies
Most of the traditional CNY snacks have been in around for centuries or even millennia. The meanings assigned to each and the ways they are consumed are in fact somewhat traditional. Here are some iconic examples:
Pineapple Tarts – These delicate pastry cases, filled with a delicate pineapple preserve in the center, form an essential part of CNY all over the world amongst Chinese people. This fruit symbolically symbolizes good luck because of its golden hue and some seeds that have become auspicious natural symbols of prosperity and fertility for a new year.
- Bak Kwa (Barbecued Pork) – A cut of pork seasoned in a sweet Sauce that is infused with a plethora of Chinese spices and herbs before it is barbecued to the right texture. Bak kwa means having a sweet and a happy life. The rich caramelized sensations take me back and make me feel at home.
- Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake) – It is sweet cake that is made of rice flour, brown sugar and root crops. Nian gao literally means ‘year cake ‘ symbolising advancement year by year. Consuming nian gao is believed be to followed by prosperity during the CNY celebration.
- Love Letters – Thin and crispy egg biscuits produced by baking coiled dough. They are named after bearing layers of love letters or any other eBook style. These are expressions of high level of friendship/ family members’ care.
- Candy Tray – A dish that is heaped with candied fruits, nuts and seeds. It symbolizes a wholesome sweet life full of love and coupled hood.
The history that encompasses each of the rite CNY delicacies makes partaken rather, special. Their taste profiles also resonate with their culture and history in a purely poetry way.
Modern CNY Goodies
Now due to globalization and applications in baking, the modern CNY snacks are the modern oriental flavors. Inclusion; creativity; fusion flavors; best ingredients; and eye-catching presentation. Some current popular examples are:
- Yuzu Hokkaido Chiffon Cake – A chiffon cake is baked to fluffy perfection and ended with yuzu citrus taste. This ‘Asian fusion’ cake is decorated with special yuzu cream frosting and gold powder, the style is influenced by Japanese cake decorating.
- White Rabbit Milk Candy – A sweet concoction popular with several generations of Chinese families. It is now available in fancy flavors such as matcha, chocolate and strawberry allied to the traditional carton packaging. Soft and milky flavored candy fillings bring back childhood memories.
- Macarons –(visually so bright) Nutty lotus or red bean paste in the middle of two cookie layers. Made into pretty flowers, they mean that prosperity has begun to bloom in the beginning of the year. Because of their appearance, they are appropriate as festival presents during the Chinese New Year celebration period.
- Salted Egg Yolk Cookies – Golden cookies with a centre that is filled with a fragrant and salty egg yolk. The orange colour symbolises wealth prosperity and the salty flavours of the salted egg yolk offers a pleasant bitter taste.
- Ice Cream Mochi –These are delicious, doughy rice dumplings filled with exotic ice creams such as Lychee Martini sorbet or the exotic Hong Kong Milk Tea. Feel the softness to crispness difference in one bite!
CNY snacks of today can be seen as the exact experience of Chinese culture through new tastes and appearances. Their attractive fusion dishes offer the best dining exports of East and West qualities.
Which Should You Choose?
Should you stick with the usual CNY goodies and snacks or opt for more trendy options that would be healthier for everyone? Here are 3 guiding principles:
- Look at people’s preferences – If people prefer heavy rooted flavors, choose traditional snacks. Prefer experimental fusions? Go for modern ones.
- Satisfy the ordinary desire – Choose one or two new sensations to listen or taste in addition to familiar favorite productions.
- Select choices with purpose – Understand the meaning an blessing behind each snack. Choose ones that represent the blessings you want your loved ones to have.
As for foods served during CNY, there are no black and white answers. However, awareness and respect for the meaning of the festive snacks always make the festive snacks important when enjoying them with loved ones!
