Homecoming diet bust

After about a week of carrots and hummus, I went on an all out eating splurge this weekend. It’s the thing to do at a traditional Chinese wedding hosted by my parents for their oldest daughter. And, it’s inevitable when about a dozen Chinese relatives are asking whether or not I’ve eaten yet, if I’d like an egg roll, maybe some noodle soup, or how about some fried shrimp?

Traditionally, the night before the wedding the bride’s family hosts a large dinner party. My parents throw large dinner parties all the time, so it wasn’t anything particularly special, except that this time I didn’t have to clean up and do dishes.

Aunts, uncles, godparents, grandparents, cousins, and my parents friends who through time became family showed up to congratulate my parents, catch up on years of not seeing each other, dance, sing karaoke, help with the cooking, and, of course, eat. And, the eating went on for days.

Friday
It was a buffet bonanza with lots of good eats: egg rolls, roasted duck, roast pork, fried scallops, salt and pepper shrimp, bok choy with shitake mushroom and abalone, wintermelon soup, fried noodles, rice, pickled mustard greens with squid and scallions, and so much more I can’t recall.

Saturday morning
Breakfast was rice porridge with leftover pickled mustard greens. There’s something very satisfying and familiar with this countryside dish that’s both sour and salty, and it was just the perfect thing to fill my stomach with warmth after an early morning hair session.

Saturday afternoon
A bowl of chicken noodle soup standing up in a circle in our parent’s driveway with Jeanne, Darren, and Karen—the girls in fancy dresses and heels (Jeanne also had a napkin tucked into the top of her dress) and the boy in a suit jacket with tuxedo pants. And then more lunch at the in-laws: fried rice, fried noodles, pot stickers, and roast pork.

Saturday evening
Fancy wedding banquet at Harbor Empress Restaurant.

Sunday
More rice porridge and pickled vegetables for breakfast, and a day full of nostalgic greasy gorging.