Throughout the world on New Years Day, people eat certain foods that are believed to symbolize good luck in the coming year. There are different cultural traditions and recipes associated with different parts of the world. Here are some of the highlights that are taking place on this first day of 2010.
NOODLES
In many Asian countries, long noodles are eaten on New Year’s Day in order to bring a long life. The catch: You can’t break the noodle before it is all in your mouth!
PORK
Due to pigs’ dining habits, many countries, including Austria, Cuba, and Spain, view pork as a good-luck food. As pigs root for food, they keep their feet planted and push their snouts forward (never turning back), signifying progress and future prosperity.
LENTILS
Since lentils resemble coins, they are eaten throughout Italy for good fortune in the new year. The legumes plump (with water) as they cook which symbolizes growing wealth. Green lentils are especially fortuitous!
FISH
In North America, Asia, and Europe, people eat fish to celebrate the new year. In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim forward. Other people think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools.
GREENS
This good-luck food is the color of money. Greens, such as kale, collards, and cabbage, are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day because of their association with wealth and economic prosperity.
BLACK-EYED PEAS
A common good luck food in the southern United States, black-eyed peas are thought to bring prosperity, their shape and abundance representing coins. Hoppin’ John is the classic Southern New Year’s dish.
POMEGRANATE
Because of their association with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries for luck in the new year.
CITRUS
When the Chinese celebrate New Year’s Day, they often set out bowls of oranges and tangerines to promote prosperity. This tradition developed from a play on words: “tangerine” and “orange” sound much like “luck” and “wealth,” respectively, in the Chinese language.
GRAPES
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, revelers in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries eat 12 grapes — one for every strike of the clock and month in the year. This custom grew from a grape surplus in the Alicante region of Spain in 1909, and celebrates the coming of a sweet year.
ROUND CAKES AND BREADS
Eating round or ring-shaped cakes, pastries, and breads is a popular New Year’s tradition in various countries. In Greece, families bake vassilopita, a cake containing a hidden good-luck coin. Italians eat sweet panetonne, Mexicans enjoy the ring-shaped rosca de reyes cake, and the Dutch indulge in puffed, doughnut-like ollie bollen. In our household, it is a tradition to bake vassilopita and serve it at midnight. We also enjoy panetonne on both Christmas morning and New Years Day morning.
In Italy, sausage (because it is derived from a pig) is also thought to bring good fortune and prosperity. In honor of my Italian heritage, the following is a recipe incorporating both lentils and sausage. If you’d like to have a vegetarian version of this, simply omit the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Bon apetito!
LENTIL AND SAUSAGE SOUP
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (can be omitted)
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (16 ounce) package dry lentils, rinsed
1 cup shredded carrot
8 cups water
1 (32 ounce) box organic chicken broth (can be replaced with organic vegetable broth)
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (can be replaced with fresh diced tomatoes)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound small pasta (optional)
1. Place sausage in a large pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Add onion, celery and chopped garlic, and saute until tender and translucent. Stir in lentils, carrot, water, chicken broth and tomatoes. Season with garlic powder, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until lentils are tender.
2. Stir in pasta, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
