Last week many of the Oxford colleges hosted celebrations for Chinese New Year!
At Jesus College, the quads were adorned with Chinese lanterns and traditional decorations, flown over from China, to mark the occasion.
Chinese students in college designed a delicious, authentic menu for a celebratory formal hall:
Starter
Five Spice Pork Spare Ribs
Hot and Sour Noodle Soup
Vegetable Spring Rolls with dips
Mains
Three Cup Chicken
Tofu Sweet and Sour
Chinese Greens
Vegetable egg Noodle
Fried Rice
Dessert
Steamed Mango Sponge Cake with Coconut Ice Cream
Almond Bean Curd wit Fresh Fruit in Ginger Syrup
Guests ate with chopsticks (or tried at least!) and the food was all laid out on the table, rather than each plate being served individually, to create the social sharing of dishes that students might experience at home.
Then there was the entertainment; guests enjoyed musical performances from traditional Chinese musical instruments, such as pipa and guzheng.
Jesus College hosts international formals each term, where students from all around the world design bespoke menus and share their favourite dishes from home. The College are looking to expand this, to mark various international celebrations, as they have done with Chinese New Year.