lunar new year celebration at the hotchkiss dining hall

My favorite holiday to celebrate here at school is the Lunar New Year. It’s an incredibly joyful festival. I’m a Chinese language student here, and I started Chinese my freshman year. Ever since my first Hotchkiss Lunar New Year, I’ve looked forward every January to the celebration. And, of course, the food.

I talk often about the fact that food can be joy. That idea was first brought into my mind when I witnessed the communal bonding and appreciation around food which Chinese students experience during the New Year. I had a conversation with a friend from China after the holiday, and he told me that the best thing about celebrating the Lunar New Year in China is the act of reuniting with family members. He said he missed that aspect of the holiday deeply; particularly, he missed coming together over food. The cultural value of sharing recipes and meals is immense, and while the festivities and meals at Hotchkiss by no means rival those of China, that aspect of culinary joy and tradition is certainly reflected in our school’s celebration.

Dumplings are a staple food of the Lunar New Year, and our dining hall did not disappoint. The school prepared five varieties of steamed and fried dumplings. To note, the dining hall did not prepare fish, but fish is a common New Year’s meal in China. In addition to dumplings, the dining hall prepared many, many other dishes. It was intimidating. I tried it all.

Fried Pork Dumplings: 9/10. Crispy and delicious.

Fried Chicken Dumplings: 7/10. Great, not as good as the pork.

Fried Veggie Dumplings: 7/10. See above.

Steamed Pork Dumplings: 8/10. Very good.

Steamed Veggie Dumplings: 6.5/10. Didn’t quite hit the spot.

Fried Spring Rolls: 8.9/10. Amazing.

Spring Rolls (not fried): 8/10. Also very good.:

Rice Cake: 8.9/10. To note, not the same as the snack you find in grocery stores. I was not expecting to like it this much.

Deep Fried Bun: 7/10. Filling was alright, bun was fantastic.

Scallion Pancake: 9/10. I absolutely love scallion pancakes.

Beef Stir Fry: 8.5/10. Pretty great.

Fried Green Beans: 9/10. Wow, I was not expecting to enjoy these. Good stuff.

Sushi: 6.5/10. Some OK sushi. Didn’t compare to Hotchkiss’ Sushi Night.

Lo Mein: 7/10. Solid.

Egg Tart: 9/10. Really good. Not overpowering. Yum.

Overall: 9.5/10. I’m super fortunate to have been able to enjoy this wonderful meal.