Another birthday cake - 12 Feb 06

Yesterday was the 15th Day of the Lunar Month and that also meant the last day of the Chinese New Year Celebration. We had dinner at my cousin Ivy's place, and guess what was served?

Yup, Yu Sheng again. That would be the last Yu Sheng of the year until 2007. Dinner was a congenial affair, with everyone talking and laughing and just catching up with one another.

There were over 20 of us, including the kids. Cousin Ivy has outdone herself. There were lots of food. 8 Treasures (too bad I am not such a big fan of that nor do I know how to enjoy it), chicken, pipa duck (still trying to find the English word for that), roasted pork, chinese cabbage soup with fish balls and mushrooms, chap chye (mixed vegetables) and cereal prawns, plus chicken rice and very very nice chili sauce.

I like the pipa duck, think it is the first time I had that. I am not a duck person and always try to shun it, but decided to give it a try this time round. It is very tender and the taste of the pipa (something sweet, similar to plum sauce) probably disguised the meaty taste.

For dessert, there were cheng tng (sweet soup with dried longans and dates) and or nee (yam paste with pumpkins and gingko nuts). I only tried the or nee as that is my fave chinese dessert. It was made the traditional way with lard! I like the pumpkin and yam, but am not a huge fan of the gingko nuts.

For drinks, my niece made me a vodka peach with sprite. Vodka is not my fave choice of poison, but when absolut came out with the vodka peach, I don't mind that. It was light and very good. Maybe that is the alcohol talking? Hehe.

At the end of the meal, they surprised me with a birthday cake. Felt so loved and touched as it was unexpected, plus my birthday was only a couple of days away (Feb 14 for those in the dark). It was a durian cake from Savory Fare, our fave bakery. I love their cakes ever since cousin Irene bought me a chocolate fudge cake from there for my 12th birthday.

That was a very lovely birthday celebration with the family :) I love you all.