16th February 2026 – (Hong Kong) A Hong Kong man has sent social media into fits of laughter — and concern — after revealing that his mother used black pepper more than a decade out of date to prepare traditional Lunar New Year turnip cake.
The man shared online that he had been enjoying slices of the homemade festive delicacy when he noticed a distinctly bitter taste. His mother initially brushed it off, suggesting she had simply switched cooking oil. Unsatisfied with the explanation, he continued eating until she casually mentioned that she had added black pepper to the mixture.
That detail immediately raised suspicions, as he claimed his mother rarely buys black pepper. When pressed about when it had been purchased, she reportedly replied that it was “not that long ago”. Determined to investigate, he searched the kitchen and eventually located the bottle — only to discover that its best‑before date was 31st December 2014, meaning it had expired more than 11 years ago.
Expressing disbelief, he joked that 2014 was a time before basketball star Stephen Curry had won his first NBA championship and before Japanese celebrity Yua Mikami had entered the adult film industry. He quipped that using pepper from that era felt like an attempt to “poison” the family.
The post quickly drew amused responses from other users. Some teased that the vintage seasoning was a fitting way to mark the Year of the Horse, noting that 2014 was also a horse year in the Chinese zodiac. Others asked tongue‑in‑cheek whether medical attention was required, while many admitted they burst out laughing at the cultural references.
