As New Year’s Eve approaches, people around the world get ready to celebrate and in most cases, the food involved in this party requires a lot of planning, mainly because are traditional dishes that symbolize wealth, luck, and long life.
That’s why we enlist some of the most traditional dishes around the world people to celebrate the coming of a New Year.
Hoppin’ John – southern United States
This dish made of pork, black-eyed peas, and rice is prepared and served on New Year’s Eve mainly in the southern U.S. The beans symbolize coins and are served with cooked greens to represent the color of money. In some parts, they serve it as well with cornbread, which has a golden color.
Pozole – Mexico
This prehispanic dish was once a soup served during Aztec ceremonies, however, nowadays is a very traditional and popular soup that consists of corn in a chicken broth mixed with beef or pork. Its color depends on the region it is prepared. In central Mexico is mainly white, while on the coast of Guerrero is green made out of grounded pumpkin seeds, and in some states like Jalisco or the northern region, it is mixed with chile ancho and guajillo to make it red.
Grapes – Spain
Just before the New Year arrives, Spaniards have the tradition to eat 12 grapes for every toll of the clock bell. Each bite is accompanied by a wish or a resolution for the upcoming year.
This tradition began at the beginning of the 20th century when grape producers had a bumper crop and didn’t want the fruit to go to waste.
Some countries in Latin America like Mexico eat grapes on New Year’s Eve.
Soba noodles – Japan
In Japanese households is tradition to eat soba noodles, or toshikoshi soba, on New Year’s Eve to say goodbye to a gone year and welcome the new one.
These noodles must be long and not to be cut because they symbolize long life and prosperity.
Cotechino con lenticchie – Italy
This stew is made of lentils and pork sausage and it is said to bring good luck and wealth.
Tteokguk – Korea
Made of rice cakes, meat, and vegetables this is the traditional soup Koreans eat to receive a new year. It is believed to bring good luck and long life.
Jiaozi or dumplings – China
Even though dumplings are a traditional dish served during Chinese New Year (often celebrated at the end of January), some families keep this tradition to receive a new year because they are a symbol of wealth and longevity mainly because they resemble ingots, early Chinese money.
Rice and lentils – India
Another dish is prepared with lentils mainly because they represent prosperity and money because of their coin-like shape.
Pomegranate – Turkey
This fruit symbolizes fertility and abundance, which makes it perfect for the upcoming year.
Marzipanschwein or Glücksschwein – Austria and Germany
These lovely piggies are made of marzipan and are considered good luck.
Rice pudding – Sweden and Norway
On New Year’s Eve people hide a single almond in rice pudding; whoever finds it is supposed to be prosperous in the new year.
Vasilopita – Greece
This cake made with almonds has a coin inside and whoever finds it will receive good luck in the upcoming year.
Pickled herring – Poland and Scandinavia
Herring are abundant in Poland and some parts of Scandinavia, the reason why eating them on New Year’s Eve might bring prosperity and bounty.
Images: Wikicommons and Pexels
