Chinese Mary – 5:00 Fridays

Deal takes Chinese in school. He’s able to have a very basic conversation and routinely says thank you in Chinese. He’s also learned some calligraphy and now wants an ink pot to add to his box of art supplies. Can imagine that mess?! Deal is in kindergarten. In public school. His school rocks. Deal was consumed with Chinese New Year and has been prattling on and on about the year of the rabbit. He has informed me that Mac Daddy and I are monkeys, which, in his mind, explains why my mom calls me “Monkey.” Truth is, the Chinese lunar calendar has nothing to do with this old family nickname, but I’m not about to burst Deal’s boba bubble. And don’t even think about calling me Monkey, unless you have a banana daiquiri to share.

Today Deal insisted on wearing red for the Chinese New Year, and of course we went out for Chinese food for dinner. Deal informed us that we had to eat duck so duck it was. And the pupu platter. The boys just love that, mostly for the pot of flames that burns in the middle of the tray and the fact that they can chant endless rounds of pupu at the table while claiming it’s not potty humor. We humored them, being a new year and all. Deal also munched on the raw leaves of napa cabbage lining the pupu platter. Yeah, he was basically eating the garnish. He was channeling a rabbit, or so he said. Hey, he was eating vegetables so who was I to get in the way of his vitamin A and C consumption?

Well, I am all for celebrating holidays great and small, life’s events great and small, all creatures great and small. I had to toss that in there. Did you read those James Herriot books? Oh, how I loved them. It was fun to ring in Chinese New Year and learn a few phrases from Deal. I also happen to look good in red and I love duck. This is just my kind of holiday.

Chinese Mary

2 ounces Absolut Peppar vodka

3 ounces low sodium tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

few drops of Tabasco (more or less to taste)

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

grated fresh ginger to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

freshly ground pepper

pickled ginger

Five Spice powder mixed with coarse salt

Rub a wedge of lemon on the rim of a tall glass. Dip into a small dish of Five Spice powder that’s been mixed with coarse salt. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until little ice crystals form on the outside of the shaker, rendering your fingers sorely numb. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with a few slivers of pickled ginger.

新年快樂

Xin Nian Kuai Le