Well 2021 is about to go into the record books. 2 years in a row of insanity and 2022 not looking particularly better. So let’s look at some New Year’s Day food traditions that just might bring you some luck, fortune, romance and health.
I’m not a Southerner (yet) although I’ve now lived in Florida for 4 years. I’m not sure how many years I have to be here to earn that designation. I was thinking about the can of black eyed peas the previous owner of the house we live in had left us on a shelf. It was left to signify good luck on our move. But I had also heard a long time back about eating them on New Year’s Eve so I thought I’d investigate it.
It turns out the black eyed peas are actually supposed to be part of the New Year’s Day dinner. The traditional “southern” dinner is collard greens, pork, cornbread and black eyed peas. The greens represent money, specifically paper money, the cornbread…gold, the pork a sign of prosperity in some cultures, and the peas represent coins or a sign of wealth. According to Southern Magazine: ” this tradition dates back to Civil War times when Union troops ravaged the southern farms leaving only black-eyed peas and greens for the animals to eat. These humble foods allowed the south to survive and have hope for the future.” By the way….remember to leave 3 black eyed peas on your plate to ensure that the New Year will be filled with luck, fortune, and romance. Looks like I’ll be giving this menu a go tomorrow! This is a good recipe for easy black eyed peas…..or buy the Goya canned! https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/new-years/a34658357/new-years-black-eyed-peas-recipe/
I don’t remember our family having any specific traditions on New Year’s Day….if fact it wasn’t even a special dinner day that I recall. Apparently the traditional Northern New Year’s Day dinner is often a roast pork loin and sauerkraut…….I sort of do remember that. The tradition in regards to eating pork is that they are “fat” and eat a lot and signify bounty. Other versions in different families of European origin include stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut balls and pickled herring. I remember our Polish friends, the Jerotski’s, making golabki or as we pronounce it “galumpki”. Now I like it, but back in the day we’d be invited to their house and just the smell of it cooking was worse than a visit to the dentist! LOL… If the urge strikes you….here’s the recipe: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/stuffed-cabbage-rolls/
In the Northwest it’s common to have salmon on New Year’s Day. In Japan…..soba or “long” noodles. Because they’re easy to cut through, the noodles are meant to symbolize breaking off bad luck from the previous year, while the long noodles represent a lengthy (and hopefully healthy!) life. By the way…..if you’re eating those noodles with chopsticks, put them down to the side of the bowl, not upright. Setting chopsticks upright in a bowl mimics the incense used to honor the dead in China and Japan, obviously bad luck!
Grapes are often thought to be a special food. Eating 12 grapes at midnight (one to symbolize each month of the coming year) is a tradition that originated in Spain in the late 19th century. I’m not sure if drinking them is the same, LOL. In Greece and the surrounding area, vasilopita is a cake that contains a hidden coin or trinket. Whoever ends up with the item in their slice can expect a prosperous next 12 months, while the ritual of slicing the cake for those gathered is meant to bring good luck to the household for the coming year.
Is there anything you SHOULDN’T eat on New Year’s Day? Turns out there are traditions around that too! Chicken and other poultry are out because they “scratch backwards” when looking for food and we want to move “forwards”. They also have wings which could signify your luck “flying away”. Likewise on the lobster….they also move backwards…..hmm….guess that puts squid or calamari, shrimp and crabs on the same list? In Chinese tradition, white is an unlucky color because it symbolizes death, so all white foods are out for the celebration. Things like tofu, eggs, (hmm…what about brown eggs?), white cheeses. Stay away from “bottom feeding” fish too….like flounder, halibut, catfish….Because they rummage for food at the bottom, it is believed that eating them on New Year’s Day will cause you to struggle to make ends meet for the remainder of the year. Lastly……don’t “pass” a knife to anyone or give one as a gift…… Passing a knife or giving one as a gift symbolizes cutting ties with that person. It is okay to pass the knife to Brandon though if he’s at the table! LOL
My best wishes, thoughts, prayers to all of you on this New Year’s Eve. It’s been a tough 2 years but maybe there’s an end in sight. Let’s all put our good energy out to the Universe no matter WHAT or WHO you believe in. We’re all on the same carnival ride we call the World. Happy New Year’s to all!
