For many, January 1 offers an opportunity to forget the past and make a clean start. But instead of leaving everything up to fate, why not enjoy a meal to increase your good fortune? There are a variety of foods that are believed to be lucky。
New Year's revelers in Spain consume twelve grapes at midnight—one grapefor each stroke of the clock. Lately， each grape then represents adifferent month, so if for instance the third grape is a bit sour,March might be a rocky month. For most, the goal is to swallow all the grapes before the last stroke of midnight。
Cooked greens, including cabbage,collards, and chard, are consumed at New Year's in different countriesfor a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, andare thus symbolic of economic fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, the Germans consumesauerkraut (cabbage) while in the southern United States, collards arethe green of choice. It's widely believed that the more greens one eatsthe larger one's fortune next year。
Legumesincluding beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seedlike appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked sothey are consumed with financial rewards in mind. In Italy, it's customary to eat cotechino con lenticchie or sausages and green lentils. Germansalso partner legumes and pork, usually lentil or split pea soup withsausage. In the Southern United States, it's traditional to eatblack-eyed peas in a dish called hoppin' john. There are even those whobelieve in eating one pea for every day in the new year。
The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress.Roast suckling pig is served for New Year's in Cuba, Spain,Portugal, Hungary, and Austria—Austrians are also known to decorate thetable with miniature pigs made of marzipan. Different pork dishes suchas pig's feet are enjoyed in Sweden while Germans feast on roast porkand sausages. Pork is also consumed in Italy and the United States,where thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth andprosperity。
Fish is a very logical choice for the New Year's table. According to Mark Kurlansky, author of Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, cod has been apopular feast food since the Middle Ages. He compares it to turkey on Thanksgiving. The reason? Long before refrigeration and modern transportation,cod could be preserved and transported allowing it to reach the Mediterranean and even as far as North Africa and the Caribbean. Kurlansky also believes the Catholic Church's policy against red meat consumption on religious holidays helped make cod, as well as other fish, common place at feasts. The Danish eat boiled cod, while in Italy,baccalà, or dried salt cod, is enjoyed from Christmas through NewYear's. Herring, another frequently preserved fish, is consumed atmidnight in Poland and Germany—Germans also enjoy carp and have been known to place a few fish scales in their wallets for good luck。
Cakes and other baked goods are commonly served from Christmas to New Year's around the world, with a specialemphasis placed on round or ring-shaped items. Italy has chiacchiere,which are honey-drenched balls of pasta dough fried and dusted withpowdered sugar. Poland, Hungary, and the Netherlands also eat donuts,and Holland has ollie bollen, puffy, donut-like pastries filled with apples, raisins, and currants.In certain cultures, it's customary tohide a special trinket or coin inside the cake—the recipient will belucky in the new year。
In addition to the aforementioned luckyfoods, there are also a few to avoid. Lobster, for instance, is a badidea because they move backwards and could therefore lead to setbacks.Another theory warns against eating any winged fowl because good luck could fly away。