The Year of the Rabbit
No, it's not traditional to eat the incoming beast. I mentioned in an earlier post that the folks at Mr. Rain's Fun House had introduced a new entree for the New Year celebration, a braised rabbit collard greens, marjoram sauce. Just this past Saturday, Woodberry Kitchen introduced, coincidentally, a majorly wonderful fried rabbit loin dish to its menu. It might not be traditional, but is it actively insulting?
If it's tradition you want, consider Zhongshang on Park Avenue, which is advertising a 12-course Chinese feast through February 13. Here's the menu.
Rabbit might show up on a special New Year's menu created for Joe Squared by owner/chef Joe Edwardsen, which will be available at the Charles North (or, Station North, if you will) restaurant from February 4 through 10.
“Rabbit is one of my favorite ingredients,” Edwardsen admits, "but we’re checking to see if it
is culturally acceptable to eat rabbit while celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.”
Joe Squared's Year of the Rabbit menu was still being developed, Edwardsen says, but it combines ingredients that are believed to usher in wealth, happiness, and good fortune such as fish and oranges (or pomelos, I've seen it said). The color “red” will be featured, Edwardsen adds, since it symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck.
The week-long food celebration at Joe Squared is also a fundraiser to help rural students in China; a portion of Joe Squared's Year of the Rabbit sales will got to scholarships.
There are tons of websites out there for anyone wanting to learn more about the traditional foods eaten for the Chinese New Year's celebration. I couldn't settle on any one source. The Wikipedia page for Chinese New Year, naturally, starts at the Dawn of Time.
So, if there are any experts of semi-experts out there, please share.
Comments
Cultural acceptable to whom? Have we been bought out by the Chinese or can we still do what we want? How about helping rural students in West Virginia?
Posted by: And Another Thing | January 31, 2011 7:52 PM
That Lunar New Year menu sounds really fantastically delicious, but what are e-noodles?
Posted by: mmm | February 1, 2011 7:17 AM
I have had rabbit at Salt and Brewer's Art. Both places did a good job. I believe it was braised or pan roasted. It's always a year of the rabbit for me.
Posted by: Curtis Bay | February 2, 2011 2:12 PM
Culturally acceptable to the Chinese, Pop Pop. That's why they call it Chinese New Year.
Posted by: Cats McGee | February 2, 2011 4:34 PM
Actually, if you're Vietnamese, it's the Year of the Cat.
Posted by: Dragon Lady | February 2, 2011 9:29 PM
Very interesting, Dragon Lady. I just hope no restaurant is tempted to put it on the menu.
Posted by: Dahlink | February 3, 2011 6:16 AM
Well I thought the Chinese found Capitalism offensive. No one else finds it odd they are sending money to an economically thriving communist country to whom we owe billions? Will it get taken off our tab?
Posted by: And another thing | February 3, 2011 7:46 AM