New Year's - Eating Your Traditions

New Year's - Eating Your Traditions   If you thought that what you eat on New Year's Day was simply a matter of "that's what I've always done" - you might be right. But, your tradition might be based on centuries of belief. Many cultures prepare New Year's foods that are believed to influence good fortune; or, avoid dishes that might cause misfortune.   In many Spanish-speaking countries, eating one grape at each stroke leading up to midnight (12 grapes for the next calendar year), is for good luck. If the grape for the corresponding month is sweet, so goes that month. If, however, the grape is sour, don't expect a good month. Of course, no matter sweet or sour, by the stroke of midnight, unless you chew very fast, you've got a mouth full of grapes. Ollie Bollen   Ollie Bollen - literally "oil balls" - are a traditional New Year's confection in Holland. These puffed doughnuts are frequently filled with currants, raisins and/or diced apples. Dutch history tells, from their Teutonic roots, that a goddess and evil spirits flew around during the winter months, slicing the bellies of all they come upon. If you were filled with Ollie Bollen, their sword would slip off - very good fortune, indeed! New Year's food is called osechi-ryori in Japan and is, traditionally, prepared before midnight on December 31 and enjoyed until January 3. There is meaning and symbolism for each food arranged in layers of lacquered boxes - jubako. Traditional osechi (seasonal festival) dishes can include:   Osechi-ryori   datemaki - rolled sweet omelet - symbolizes knowledge kabumaki - rolled kelp with fish - to be glad/happy kurikinton - mashed sweet potato with chestnuts - bring wealth for the new year kuromame - sweet black beans - symbol of health tazukuri - small, dried sardines - good harvest kazunoko - herring roe - hope of having many children   In addition, shrimp represent long life and sea bream - i.e. porgies, perch, scup, snapper, pomfret - are for an auspicious fortune. Red and white are traditional New Year's colors, symbolizing joy and peace, that are, also, part of the considerations for choosing and arranging your osechi. It's particularly fortuitous to eat long soba noodles, sucked up without breaking, indicating long life.   Media noche (middle of the night) in the Philippines includes 12 round fruits (representing money) for each month of the New Year. Added to the spread on their New Year's table, Filipinos believe an abundance of food that night is believed to ensure a prosperous new year.   Savory French-Canadian tourtiere (meat pie) can include pork, veal and/or beef, often with mashed potatoes, combined with herbs and spices, served up in a flaky crust on New Year's Day. The tradition of ingredients signifies wealth (meat), substance (potatoes) and the seasonings add the subtleties of flavor, indicating the nuances of life for the new year. Black-Eyed Peas - Eating Your Traditions   Black-Eyed Peas (photo credit: Bill Koslosky, MD) If you thought that what you eat on New Year's Day was simply a matter of "that's what I've always done" - you might be right. But, your tradition might be based on centuries of belief. Many cultures prepare New Year's foods that are believed to influence good fortune; or, avoid dishes that might cause misfortune.   Many cultures serve similar vegetables and meats in their New Year's Day celebrations to bring good fortune. During the time of the Pharaoh, black-eyed peas were a symbol of luck and good fortune. The belief was that those who ate black-eyes, an inexpensive and modest food, showed their humility and saved themselves from the wrath of the heavens because of the vanity they might have. In fact, black-eyed peas aren't a pea at all - they're lentils. For example, in Brazil and Italy, lentils (money) are served - in Brazil, with rice - which expands when cooked, showing increase - arroz brazileiro; and, in Italy, lentils are eaten with pork sausage, to bring abundance - cotecchino con lenticchie. Pork and sauerkraut (cabbage) are combined in Germany, Poland and Scandinavia. Cabbage represents the green leaves of money.   Similarly, throughout Southern United States, black-eyed peas in some variation, with or without ham hocks, and greens have inspired such dishes as Hoppin' John, that combines peas, rice and ham. As the story goes, black-eyed peas were used exclusively for cattle feed in the old South. During the battle of Vicksburg during the Civil War, the town was under siege for over 40 days. No supplies came in or out. Vicksburg was on the edge of starvation. The people had no choice but to eat those black-eyed peas, therefore starting a southern tradition. Today, black-eyes are eaten every New Year's Day to bring good luck for the new year.   There are, however, beliefs that exclude some foods as bad luck. These include lobsters, they move backwards and chickens, that scratch in reverse. Eating these on New Year's day might cause a reversal of fortune.   Celebrating New Year's Day with family, friends and food is a time-honored tradition that has included symbols of prosperity and good fortune. Enjoy "what you've always done" and, perhaps, add a new tradition in your New Year.   Carl Ray Louk Not racist, not violent, just not silent anymore Fighting for lower taxes, less government, and more freedom. I am Carl Ray Louk and unlike the President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama, I stand with Israel FreedomWorks We are a community of over 2 million grassroots activists We recruit, educate & mobilize across the country Fighting for lower taxes, less government, and more freedom. http://www.freedomworks.org/ "Friendship Never Ends" SG-1996 "Let Love Lead The Way" SG-2000 "The Phoenix Shall Rise" Count Carl Ray Louk 2003 "Even A Man Who Is Pure In Heart And Says His Prayer By Nigh, May Become A Wolf When the Wolf bane Blooms And The Autumn Moon Is Bright." LT-1941 "Flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood; kin of my kin when I say come to you, you shall cross land or sea to do my bidding!" 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