🍊 Oranges: Acid Wealth Spheres

In many Lunar New Year traditions, oranges and mandarins symbolize wealth and good fortune. The Cantonese word for orange sounds like the word for “gold,” which means giving someone oranges is the culinary equivalent of handing them edible pirate treasure. 🏴‍☠️ Except way more vitamin C and less scurvy.

Families display them in pairs for luck. We recommend at least eight. Not because we’re greedy. Because we’re ambitious. Peel one and the scent will hit the room like optimism wearing expensive perfume. You will stand over your sink eating three in a row, juice running down your wrist, whispering “abundance” like you’re summoning a minor deity.

If you’re welcoming guests this weekend, set out a bowl of oranges near the door. It signals abundance. It also signals “I shop at Ava's and therefore make excellent life decisions.” A strong start to the Year of the Horse, which frankly deserves a "stable" foundation. 🐴

Green Tea: Cool Your Horses 🍵

Green tea has been enjoyed in China for thousands of years and symbolizes purity, renewal, and longevity… all things you want to gulp while galloping into a new year. Tea ceremonies emphasize mindfulness and intention, which is important because the Horse energy can be… enthusiastic. Let’s call it spirited.

At Ava’s, we have a huge selection of green teas, from delicate loose-leaf options to earthy, ceremonial-grade matcha that will make you feel both calm and powerful at the same time. Matcha became central to Japanese tea ceremonies in the 12th century and is packed with antioxidants. It’s healthy, powdered focus. Whisk it, sip it, attain enlightenment.

And for the super super SUPER lazy (we see you, because we are you), we even carry Ito En Unsweetened Green Tea drinks in a variety of flavors. No kettle? No whisk? No problem… Just twist, sip, and trot on with your day. 🐎

Dumplings: Pockets of Prosperity 🥟

Dumplings are shaped like ancient Chinese silver ingots, which means eating them symbolizes wealth and abundance. The more you eat, the more prosperous your year is supposed to be. This is the only time of year where overindulging is technically financial planning.

Want to make your own? Ava’s has the egg roll skins, crisp cabbage, and ground pork (or a vegan alternative). (To be truly on-theme you could use horse meat, but you'd have to get that from Walmart.) Hosting friends? Make dumplings together. It’s traditional to gather as a family and wrap them before midnight. It’s also traditional to argue gently about who’s folding technique looks like a confused sea creature. Both are valid.

Ridiculously Simple Dumplings:

• Finely chop 1 cup cabbage
• Mix with 1 pound ground pork (or alternative), 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• Spoon into egg roll skins, fold and seal with water
• Pan-fry in oil until golden, add a splash of water, cover, steam 5 minutes

That’s it. You just made edible prosperity. You magnificent stallion, you.

As we ride into the Year of the Horse, remember: this is about momentum, community, and fresh starts. Swing by Ava’s, stock up on oranges, tea, and dumpling fixings, and let’s keep Mountain View lively and well-fed. And if you haven’t yet, join our Ava’s rewards program, because earning points while buying dumpling ingredients is big hoof energy. 🐴💛

May your 2026 be fast, fortunate, and slightly scandalous. Now go forth, and neigh-ver look back. 🐴🍊🥟