Pastries

We're back from the "la la land," where the sun was shining and the weather was warm. We brought back some Chinese engagement pastries plasticmom ordered. Traditionally the groom brings a litany of gifts to the bride's family for the engagement, including pastries for the bride to give to friends and family as a way to announce the engagement. Keeping with the spirit of the tradition...namely the eating of pastries, plasticmom ordered a batch of engagement pastries which are essentially huge cookies with filling packaged in a red gift box. Fillings range from red bean [like a freakin' huge moon cake], eggs, sweet pork, etc. However, plasticmom went with a winning combination of sesame paste and raisins. We've been snacking on them all week and my office gobbled up their pastry this morning. The sesame paste filling is crumbly almost like peanut butter and is not too sweet.

While I was home in LA, I also heard a "back in the day" recount of traditional wedding practices..."When I got engaged, he brought a whole pig, twelve live chickens, six fish, a necklace, a ring, a bracelet, canned goods and pastries." I do love my engagement ring, but where's my whole pig?