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Community Corner

Dynasty Plans for Chinese New Year

"Year of the Rabbit" set to hop into Port.

The "Year of the Rabbit" arrives on Feb. 3 and marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year based on the lunar calendar. According to Chinese mythology, the rabbit brings good fortune and peace and is one of the most favored of the zodiac signs. It will be very much welcomed after the ferocious "Year of the Tiger."

Eight days of celebration and feasting will take place in Asian communities everywhere, and Port Washington is no exception.  is preparing a special ala carte menu of symbolic Chinese New Year dishes for the festivities. Group gourmet banquets will also be available with advance notice.

"China is very large country and has many regions, each with it's own preferences for ingredients," said John Moy, Dynasty's master chef and owner. "Their sense of taste is very different from the typical American's taste buds."

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Recently, Moy invited two Chinese Americans in Port Washington for a preview banquet. Enter two "culture mavens" dressed for the occasion in vibrant red, the symbolic color of happiness and good fortune, toting along gifts for their host.

Helen Chin and Kathy Fong, both residents at Harborview, the adult community in Port Washington, had never been to Dynasty. After a few words of greeting, Moy and Chin realized they had met as teenagers and hadn't seen each other in 50 years. Before the first dumpling platter arrived at the table, the trio already bonded, comparing notes about growing up in New York, the symbolism of the Chinese New Year recipes and the Chinese American culture on Long Island.

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Assuming dual roles as chef and host, Moy changed back and forth between his black tuxedo and a white chef's jacket. He never missed a beat going into the kitchen to cook, reappearing to present his creations jump back into the conversation.

Chin, a retired educator, is the current co-president of the Chinese Center on Long Island in West Hempstead. She also serves on the Town of North Hempstead's Board of Ethics. Sweet-and-sour pork was decidedly her favorite dish at the banquet.

"Sweetness is obviously meant to have a sweet year, but the sour part is a bit more complicated because the Chinese like playing with words and symbols,"she noted. "The word 'sour,' in Cantonese sounds similar to the word 'grandchild,' so this dish is very popular with families hoping for a lot of grandchildren."

"When it comes to food, Chinese people are very adventurous," said Moy, who was born in the Canton section of China. "Chicken feet, duck tongues and other animal body parts as well as flowers and insects will not be on Dynasty's menu."  

The trio laughed at this and agreed that Americans like to see all of the ingredients of a dish very clearly and not hidden in dark sauces. Chinatown, they said, is the place to sample more exotic fare.

With her chopsticks aimed at the Har Gow shrimp dumplings and steamed pork buns, Fong, retired from the airline industry, explained that these round delicacies signify family reunions and are thought to resemble gold coins, bestowing  wealth to those who eat them

A large platter was filled with long uncut strands of special Yee Mein noodles, representing hopes for a long life in an appropriately named dish "longevity noodles."

At the end of the banquet Chin and Fong presented their host with traditional gifts of mandarin oranges and kumquats, both symbolizing gold, wealth and fortune. They also offered a decorative box of Chinese candy along with an ornate red banner inscribed with the sentiment:  "All year round good luck and good health."

Moy in turn surprised them with a packaged gourmet meal to take home and enjoy later.

It was a feast to remember. 

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