Ringing in the lunar new year with food and fun in the Laconia High School cafeteria

Families learned to cook East Asian dishes and learned about Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, in the cafeteria kitchen of Laconia High School on Wednesday night. Wednesday started the new year, the year of the snake. Those born during the year of the snake are thought to have qualities of intelligence, resilience and love. The 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac signs rotate annually, and include the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Lunar New Year is celebrated also by Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Laconia schools Food Service Director Mike Llavina demonstrated how to cook spring rolls, teriyaki chicken and vegetable fried rice. The free event was put on by the Office of Extended Learning to help bring cultural diversity and explore new dishes, the first cooking event. Kerri Howe, extended learning administrator, said the school plans to host another cooking event focused on Mexican cuisine.