>  ML> Well, it never sounded as though you
>  ML> and your siblings were/are super close.
> We were more so as kids but as we got older and diverged in our paths of
> thought, we've grown further & further apart.

Though I've found families that have diverged
politically and religiously and still managed
to stay close. Ethically, not so much, as once
such values change, everything changes.

>  ML> I made it there two years ago - missed the
>  ML> year before and after for health reasons,
>  ML> '18 mine, '20 everyone's.
> Last year was not a good year healthwise for a lot of people. I'm still
> fighting the cough that I've had off and on (seems like more of the
> latter than the former) since the end of 2019.

Do you get funny looks at the supermarket?
Lilli does. And then she accuses me (half
seriously), of all people, of having S2. I 
say, well, you're the one who talks with the
gardener and the cleaning women and who goes
to the hairdresser. Not to mention motors
off to buy gray-market masks and foodstuffs.

>  ML> > This was one we bought. It's got to do with the electronic waves it
>  ML> puts > out and the other electronics (computers, radio, microwave,
>  ML> phones, etc) > in the house.
>  ML> Could you just get a better shielded apparatus?
> They're all pretty much the same. Steve is talking about trying to make
> a Ferriday cage for my device.

That really makes no sense to me. Couldn't
they have precautions built in and charge a
bit more up front?

>  ML> Frankly, there is little that I do know about
>  ML> Chinese holidays. Despite my appearance, I am
>  ML> mostly Judaeo-Christian central maybe western
>  ML> European by culture.
> I picked up a bit about it over the years, especially while we were in
> HI. The lion dances around New Year's used to be fun to watch. (G)

I hated those, not so much for the ugly lions
but for the ugly noises coming from firecrackers.

>  ML> Associated with pork belly? Only the normal
>  ML> that you'd expect from anyplace, implications
>  ML> of richness, comfort, and so on. I'm not sure
>  ML> if crunch has a particular meaning attached
>  ML> to it, other than being generally pleasurable.
> There may be some archaic traditions but probably not ones that are
> particularly noted, especially after the communists took over the
> country.

The Communists no doubt tried to change things -
that seems to be important to them - but there 
are a gazillion noncommunist countries that
celebrate the lunar new year instead of the
Gregorian one, and others that do both.

>  ML> For me, melting fat and skin is the best, so
>  ML> I'm willing to sacrifice the crispiness. I
> All kinds of cracklin's?

In general, if I were granted access to only
one, definitely soft. And most Asians would be
with me most of the time.

>  ML> much anything except the loin, which, as with
>  ML> chicken breast, I generally reserve for stir-
>  ML> fry or deep-fry (i.e., protein filler).
> I generally use chicken breast or pork for stir fry, sometimes just
> deboning a pork chop or two (center cut) and using that.

Exactly.

>  ML> about which I'd know nothing; also by the
>  ML> serving of rich and generally sweeter foods,
>  ML> about which I know and could tell you a lot.
>  ML> Probably have done so over the years, too.
> Probably more than you remember.

Ah ha ha ... that could be read a number of ways.

Shanghai "ham"
cat: main
servings: 12

4 lb to 5 lb well-fatted cut of pork: butt, shoulder, or ham for example
1 1/2 c regular soy sauce
1/2 c dry sherry
1/2 c sugar or to taste (this amount makes a fairly sweet dish)
2 garlic cloves
1 star anise star (optional, or substitute 4-5 slices ginger)
1/2 c water

Blanch pork briefly in boiling water. Rinse; then remove any visible
bristles or other gross things. Rinse again.

Bring all ingredients to the boil in a large kettle. Lower heat to
a simmer, cover, and cook, turning occasionally, for 2-2.5 hr or
until meat is very tender and almost too soft to turn. Bring to the
boil again and baste the pork constantly with boiling liquid for
15 min or until liquid is somewhat thickened. May be served as is
or chilled and sliced thin as an appetizer. The sauce may be served
or reused.

source: Michael Loo, posted 8/24/95 Subsequent note: probably more liquid