My 12th Day Birthday ｛十二朝}

Today is a turning point for me as it is my 12th day birthday. Tradition has it that after 12 days my mum is supposed to have recovered and we are open for guests to visit. Where I live in the traditional villages, we openly serve Chicken Wine {雞酒} and Ginger Vinegar {薑醋}, these are the dishes are supposed to contain not only high levels of alcohol :-) but high levels of calcium which is good for mum's recovery process.

In actual fact the wine in the chicken wine is actually made from fermenting rice.  We started making ours back in March when they heard that i was arriving in August. The Ginger Vinegar was made a month ago in order to ensure that the ginger is absorbed and made soft as it emerges with the sweetened vinegar.  There is a saying that if "the ginger turns out sweet" then it shows that I am a good baby.  Anyway, my mum tells me everyday that I am a good boy anyway!

Before serving these items we also have to do a Bai Sun/worship ceremony, where we have to serve the gods first.

Mum says she is no traditionalist and she won't be touching anything of the above...so i've decided that i will share it with my aunties, uncles & grandparents instead.  Though my grandmother, has been eating the Chicken wine all afternoon, and has passed out at the kitchen table!