The Many Flavors of Braise

We're working our way through a pot of Chinese "lu wei." Basically, it's a slow-cooked medley of snackish foods that are eaten cold with sliced green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

For the base of the cooking liquid I used a can of chicken stock, two can's worth of water, half a cup of soy sauce, half a cup of rice wine, an eighth of a cup of brown sugar, five slices of ginger, a tablespoon of star anise, and a tablespoon of Szechuan peppercorns. I brought the liqud and spices up to a simmer, then added:

• a pound of pork shoulder that had already been simmered in water for about an hour
• four eggs
• a package (4) of firm tofu
• a slab of honeycomb tripe bigger than two palms
• a package of seaweed knots (added in the last half hour)

This mix can simmer for two or more hours. We let it go at the lowest possible heat for about three hours yesterday. Everything can be eaten hot, but traditionally you would let it cool overnight, slice everything, and then serve.

Also, more flowers! I don't like this arrangement as much, but it's okay. Changes I would make: remove the yellow/green leaves and use coffee berries (they come on green leafy branches), use roses that are solid pink instead of gradiated, and use some large green orchids.

All the parents are very skeptical that I can pull of a DIY for so many flowers, but what they don't realize is this: I really could care less. I want to DIY so I can spend about a fourth of what I would for a florist and use the savings elsewhere--a better makeup artist, more food, extra music, exciting wedding favors, better alcohol, etc. I think those things, more than flowers, make a party memorable. And if disaster strikes and I somehow end up with no wedding flowers, I can honestly say I would not shed a tear. It's just not that important to me.