Ba-Ba’s (Father’s) Day

Treat your father twice this year! This week sees the last in our series of three Taiwanese holiday menus from Karen Hulene Bartell, with a special menu for China's Father's Day. Says Karen:

Father’s Day in Taiwan comes in August, not June. It’s known as Ba-ba Day or Double-Eight because it falls on the eighth day of the eighth month. The Mandarin Chinese word for eight is ba, so the eighth day of the eighth month is ba-ba. Ba-ba also happens to be the Mandarin word for papa or father, so it’s a natural progression for that date to be Father’s Day in Taiwan.

Ba-Ba’s Day Dinner

Chicken Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms and Carrots
Five-Colored Pork and Shrimp Rolls
Steamed Asparagus with Garlic Sesame Sauce
Wilted Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Zucchini and Loofah
Stir-Fried Crab with Bamboo Shoots
Watermelon Slices
Jellied Cocoa Pudding

Photo courtesy of Karen Hulene Bartell.