Reuben's Full Moon Party

Today Reuben is a month old.

Full Moon of the new baby is celebrated by the Chinese community to mark the baby being one month old. Usually either food is given out in packs or a reception will be done either at home or at restaurants. Whatever it is, it is celebrated with joy and cheer.

Back in those days.. when infant mortality rate is high, to get to a month old, is something BIG. Nowadays, with immunization, formula milk and better medical facilities, the mortality rate has definately dropped. Nevertheless, it is still something to be really happy about and it marks the end of my confinement!!!

Woohoo!! Freedom. The freedom to wash hair everyday(not once every 3 days), the freedom to bathe as many times as I like per day(not once per day), the freedom to drink iced drinks, the freedom to eat chilled fruits, the freedom to go out anytime and feel the breeze anytime I like, BUT!!! I will be stuck at home with baby, losing sleep, losing time, losing mobility to go out alone. It's the beginning of a new responsibility when my confinement lady leaves the house. Chores and everything will be back in my hands.

All my kid's full moon were celebrated differently.

Lydia's time, we held dinners at restaurants, twice. Once in Kampar for relatives on my side, and another time in KK for my hubby's side.

Lyanne's time, it was exactly during Chinese New Year, so nothing much could be done. I can't do it in restaurants as it will be too jammed pack. Not a good idea to bring a month old infant to a crowded place. So, we gave gift packs. We didn't order the packs as it was CNY, and people might be around, might not be around, so we won't be able to distribute it all in one day. And who's going to take up our order during CNY? Everybody's busy with their own family affairs. So, I made my own packs and it's a lot easier to give out cakes than savoury food like roasted chicken that can't last more than one day. See the gift pack here.

This time, since we moved in to a new house, we might as well, do the full moon party at home. A full moon cum housewarming party. Did I cater? LOL, no! Never! I didn't even cater for my pre wedding thingy that's for hundreds of people, what's with a party for 50? Peanuts! Haha.

I had the party a week earlier as my confinement lady will be leaving on Thursday, which was yesterday, so I did the Full Moon last Saturday. Usually Full Moons are done earlier than late. And I need extra help in the kitchen, definately, especially with all the washing. On this day, my mom took care of Reuben while my confinement lady helped with the party preps.

I started preparing since Tuesday.
Tuesday: Baked a Topo Map Cake for backup, Baked Chocolate Designer Baby Grands
Wednesday: Went shopping for all my ingredients, cooked my Creme Pattisiere.
Thursday: Made Dragon Fruit Angku jelly and Watermelon Jelly, cooked durian custard cream.
Friday: Marinated pork belly for Roasted Pork, made choux puffs and filled them, prepare most of the raw ingredients for the next day
Saturday morning : Prepare red eggs and cooked everything. Finished cooking by 230pm.

I had more help coming in by 3pm when my dearie cousin Eileen and family arrived from KL. Eileen loves preparing for parties and she couldn't come any earlier due to her daughter's music class.  When she came, she helped a lot with plating and final preps. Her mom, my aunt, also helped by nicely chopping the roasted pork. My bro and sister in law who arrrived at about 4pm also helped a lot with the final preps.

Dinner was all laid out by 6pm and phew and I ran upstairs to bathe. Came down and started the party!
Cooking was a breeze, it was the final preps that took a lot of time. Time seemed to fly after 3pm.

The dessert table.

Fluffy pancakes with creme pattisiere, Chocolate Designer Baby Grands(tray baked), watermelon jelly, Dragon Fruit Angku Jelly, Dulce De leche cream puffs, Durian custard cream puffs

Labels were put up, but weren't read. Some popped durian custard cream puffs into their mouths only to get the eyes almost popping out later when they realised it's durian. These people happened to be durian haters.

The main courses : Chicken in Milk with Mash, Pasta with Mushroom Meat Sauce, Turmeric rice with Creamy Curry Chicken.

Red Eggs, a must for Full Moon or any birthday celebrations. It's hard boiled eggs dyed with vinegared red food dye.

The only pic that shows the roasted pork. Should've place it elevated on a box :) But I don't have the time to do it. The big bowl is shredded white and red cabbage with carrots and the dressing is Tomato Cream.

The red eggs are served together with pickled papaya and pickled young ginger.

The party was over by 9pm and some friends stayed back to help with the cleaning and to chat.
I finally rested at midnight. Tiring, but fun. Kekeke.