Ambrosial Abalone and Pigeon Soup

Banquets are, by definition, special occasions. To me, as a child, they represented good times, great food, special treats, lots of joyful people, games, tipsy men and much hilarity. Everyone looked forward to these family gatherings and anticipated the procession of platters of food that we never experienced at home: abalone and pigeon soup never emerged from my mother’s kitchen to serve as the family dinner!

Banquets meant extraordinary things, like fizzy lemonade and ginger ale f