Lam stacks the shelves of T&B Grocery with gift baskets file with dried fruit

There will be plenty of celebrations and good food this weekend in the Teche Area and it won’t be just revelers celebrating in anticipation of Fat Tuesday. Many residents of Chinese descent will be celebrating the start of a New Year — the Chinese New Year.

It’s the Year of the Snake. On Feb. 10, the Chinese New Year begins. It is a time to welcome longevity, prosperity and good fortune and to eliminate any negative chi from the past year.

Just as Americans base much of the New Year celebration around foods of symbolic significance, so do the Chinese. While Americans believe a serving of cabbage and black-eyed peas can bring wealth and good health, the Chinese have their own version of foods of fortune.

“Their will be plenty of fruit set out during the family celebrations” said Quen Tran.

Tran, 51, arrived in the United States with her parents when she was 18 years old and never stopped celebrating a tradition that is part of her culture.

“There will be an assortment of Chinese food set out during the family celebrations and plenty of fruit. It is our belief that tangerines represent wealth and oranges are a traditional symbol of good luck. The fruits also are displayed as decorations and exchanged among friends to bring good fortune, said Tran.

Tran, who owned and operated the Center Street location of Kim’s Chinese with her husband, Anh, for 25 years and now operates Kim’s Sugarena Chinese Food, never gets tired of cooking. A smile still comes across her face when she sees a customer enjoying the food that represents much of her culture.

“I always say there is a lot of love that goes into Chinese food,” she said.

A variety of ingredients such as bok choy, bamboo sticks, shiitake mushrooms and sauces ranging from fish to oyster and soy, combined with different blends of sauces and spices and a variety of noodles sets apart Chinese food from any other.

“Our families get together the same way as Americans do for Thanksgiving and New Year’s. We plan ahead and everybody brings different dishes. We have a lot of cooked food and prayer — all in hopes of bringing good luck to our families,” she said.

Bong and Ti Lam, owner of T&B Food Store are busy this week as residents pick up items in preparation to cook their favorite Chinese foods.

Given the importance of food in the Chinese culture, Bong Lam said they expect to be busy during this time of the year.

Many of our foods cooked for the New Year celebration has a symbolic significance.

“A whole chicken served the Chinese New Year celebration symbolizes family togetherness and noodles are symbolic to a long life. We like to prepare a chicken soup with a whole stuffed chicken. The chicken is stuffed with dried lily flower, dried vegetables and boiled white nuts. Once cooked, it is placed in a steamer in the center of the table and we all gather around,” said Bong Lam.

“We also make Lau Soup with shrimp balls, fish balls and pork meat balls.”