New Year's Food Traditions ( News Letter )
Fri, 31 Dec 2004, at 11:30 a.m.
This news letter is from an AOL food chat and is printed here at Recipes From Friends with permission of host Judee.

The last chat of the year has always been some type of appetizer party or New Year's Meal. Tonight we are sending you some interesting, traditional, good luck food recipes from around the world. Please remember to ring in the New Year at the stroke of mid-night and please, please don't drink and drive. Happy New Year to All.

Judee

Welcome back Around Our Kitchen Table. This is our last chat for the Year 2004 and it is going to be a good one. Our theme tonight is “New Year's Food Traditions”. There are so many different traditions and we were able to not only give you some of them but recipes too.

As we move along in the presentation of traditions and recipes please let us know if you have a special family tradition for New Year’s and it doesn’t have to be a food tradition. I will start you off with the family tradition I grew up with. Even thought we lived in a city my Dad always shot off his shot gun at midnight. I haven’t followed that tradition but we do beat the pots and pans at midnight as I have done since I can remember.

The lyrics to this traditional song of New Year's remembrances are credited to Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot?
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Eating noodles at midnight is customary at Buddhist temples in Japan.

Japanese Noodle, Shrimp and Cucumber Salad

2/3 c Rice wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c Vegetable oil
3 tbs Sugar
1 ts Dry mustard
1 pn Cayenne pepper
1 lb Fresh bean sprouts
14 oz Dried chuka soba noodles
1/4 c Oriental sesame oil
2 lb Cooked bay shrimp
3 lg Cucumbers; peeled
- halved, thinly sliced
6 Green onions; sliced
Red cabbage leaves

For DRESSING: Whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, oil, sugar and mustard in
small bowl. Season with cayenne pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Cover and leave at room temperature).

For SALAD: blanch bean sprouts in boiling water 30 seconds. Drain and
refresh in cold water. Drain. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add noodles and boil until tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles. Refresh in cold water. Drain and place in large bowl. Add sesame oil and toss to coat. (Can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate bean sprouts and oriental noodles separately.) Add bean
sprouts, shrimp, cucumbers and onions to noodles. Drizzle with dressing. Toss gently to combine. Line platter with cabbage leaves and mound salad in center.
***End of Recipe***

A German/Pennsylvania Dutch tradition is to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's day for good luck.

Pork and Sauerkraut
Always serve with a large bowl of mashed potatoes!

4 to 5 lb. pork roast
2 large cans sauerkraut
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Place the pork roast in a dutch oven. Add about 1 cup water plus a small amount of salt and pepper. Cover and cook over very low heat for about 2 hours. Add the sauerkraut, applesauce and brown sugar. Cover and simmer about 1 to 1-1/2 hours longer or until the roast is falling apart. This can also be made in the oven in a covered roasting pan. Roast the pork at 350º for about 2 hours, then add the sauerkraut and lower the temperature to 300º and roast for an additional 1-1/2 hours. It's also a good crock pot meal. Just add everything to the crock pot and cook for about 6 to 8 hours on low.
***End of Recipe***

In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, the Spanish eat 12 grapes, one with every toll, to bring good luck for the 12 months ahead.

The Peruvian New Year's custom is a spin on the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at the turn of the year. But in Peru, a 13th grape must be eaten to assure good luck.

It is a Cuban tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. The 12 grapes signify the last twelve months of the year.

For Cubans, New Year's Eve is a night of music and dancing, eating great foods, and having a great time. Children spend the days leading up to New Year's Eve building and dressing the "Año Viejo" man, a type of scarecrow dressed up in old clothes and stuffed with paper, magazines, and anything else that will burn. These giant dolls sit on the front porches of the houses throughout the day waiting for the stroke of midnight. At midnight everyone carries their Año Viejo man into the street and sets it on fire.

German folklore says that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will bring luck for the next year. Eating pickled herring as the first bite of the New Year brings good luck to those of Polish descent also.

Simple Pickled Herring

Herring fillets
Onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 T. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 to 3/4 c. vinegar
1 c. cold water

Soak herring for 3 or 4 hours in cold water. Wash in cold water and cut into cubes. Prepare a marinade with the remaining ingredients and marinate for 2 days. Drain and serve.
***End of Recipe***

In the southern United States, it is believed eating black eyed peas on New Year's eve will bring luck for the coming year. Black Eyed Peas & Greens -- A New Year's Eve Must!
Hoppin' John is traditional favorite dish to serve on New Year's Eve in the south as black eyed peas eaten at this time are thought to bring luck. Several theories exist as the origin of the unusual name for this recipe. The most likely is that it was named after a children's game, which involved hopping around the table for luck before eating on New Year's Eve. Cooking black eyed peas at a low simmer instead of a boil will keep the skins from bursting and give the dish a better appearance. Also add salt after cooking is complete as it can make the beans tough.

Hoppin’ John

1 lb. dried black eyed peas
1/2 lb. salt pork, cubed
1/2 lb. cooked ham, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ham bone
1/4 tsp. (more to taste) crushed red pepper
pepper to taste
3 C cooked rice

Serves 8

Rinse peas and pick over, removing any small stones or foreign particles. Cover with cold water in a large pot, bring to a boil for a minute, remove from heat cover and let sit for one hour. In a large skillet, saute the salt pork to render fat, add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion mixture along with the ham bone and seasonings to the pot with the peas. Add enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1- 1 1/2 hours or until black eyes peas are tender but not mushy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot cooked rice.
***End of Recipe***

Also from the south comes the custom of eating greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale or spinach to bring money.

Mixed Greens

2 lb. collard greens
2 lb. mustard greens
2 lb. kale
1/2 lb. salt pork
1/2 lb. smoked neck bones
1/2 lb. rib tips
Salt and pepper
Dash of sugar (optional)
Wash all meat; place in a large pot, cover with water and cook for 45 minutes.
Clean greens well. Cut up and add to meat. Season to taste. Put a dash of sugar if desired. Cook over medium heat for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender.
***End of Recipe***

One more from the Southerners: eating cornbread will bring wealth.

Southern Cornbread
Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking

1/3 cup sifted flour
1 1/2 cups sifted cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt, if desired
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350°.Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs until foamy and stir them into the dry mixture. Stir in the buttermilk and 1 cup whole milk. Heat the butter in a 9 X 2-inch black skillet, and when it is very hot but not brown, pour in the batter. Carefully pour the remaining 1 cup whole milk on top of the batter without stirring. Place the dish in the oven and bake 50 minutes, or until set and baked through. Slice into wedges.
***End of Recipe***

The Southern custom of eating greens can be found in other cultures as well, although the cabbage can take many forms, such as sauerkraut or even kimchee.

In the Philippines, it is important to have food on the table at midnight in order to insure an abundance of food in the upcoming year.

Boiled Cod is a New Year's Eve must in Denmark.

Boiled Cod - Kogt Torsk with Mustard Sauce - Sennepsovs til kogt torsk

1½ pounds. cod
1½ qts. water
1½ tsp. salt

Boil cod until it flakes. Save the water to use for the sauce made with mustard. Serve with boiled potatoes garnished with dill.

Mustard Sauce for Cod Fish - Sennepsovs til kogt torsk

3 tbsp. margarine, melted
3 tbsp. flour
1 cup fish water from boiling cod
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. dark Danish fish or Dijon mustard
½ teasp. salt

Add flour to melted margarine. Stir thoroughly and gradually add milk and fish water. Cook until thickened. Stir in mustard and salt.

***End of Recipe***

Olie Bollen are small round Dutch doughnuts; they are traditionally served on New Year's Eve in Holland. The name literally means "oil balls." Don't let the name turn you off because Olie Bollen are delicious. The Dutch regularly add raisins, currants ore even finely diced dried apples to their Olie Bollen dough.
Olie Bollen

1 envelope dry yeast
3 T. sugar
1 c. warm water, divided
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
4 c. all purpose flour
3 c. fruit (diced fresh apples, raisins or dried currants)
oil for frying
confectioner's sugar for dusting

Pour 1/2 cup warm water, about 85 to 115 F., into the bowl of a large food processor. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water and mix at low speed. Let stand for five minutes. Slowly mix in remaining water, eggs, vanilla and salt. Slowly add flour a cup at a time. Mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's to dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Mix in fruit. Remove from food processor. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours
.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. Punch down dough. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter. Drop dough balls into hot oil, frying until golden brown, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioner's sugar. Serve hot.
Makes 4-5 dozen
***End of Recipe***

There are of course households in which the New Year's family reunion and dinner menu are traditional and inviolable. But for those open to suggestion, we offer a dinner of roasted suckling pig which is common in European countries..

Usually a bright red apple or an orange is put in the pig's snout, although the Hungarian custom is to put in a four leaf clover. Around the pig's pate is often placed a wreath of bay leaves. The European side dishes which accompany the New Year's suckling pig are usually heavy and a bit complicated. Fluffy mashed potatoes covered with finely chopped onions slightly browned in butter, a dish of Brussels sprouts surrounded with braised chestnuts, and a sharp green salad are suggested sides. The dessert might well be an Apple Florentine which hails from seventeenth-century England. According to the old recipe, this was a deep-dish apple pie baked in a huge pewter or Sheffield plate, filled with "good baking apples, sugar and lemon to the very brim." When baked and before serving, the rich crust was taken off and cut into triangular pieces ready to be replaced, but before this was done a full quart of well-spiced ale, "quite hissing hot," was poured over the apples. We might follow the same instructions but substitute hot cider for the ale.

DIRECTIONS
Clean the pig carefully. Insert a piece of wood into its mouth to keep it open while roasting. Sage and onion dressing is traditional, but you might use a prune-apple stuffing or a sausage stuffing. Stuff your pig, truss and skewer it. Make 4 parallel slits about 3 inches long on each side of the backbone. Place on a rack, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper, brush with melted butter, and dust with flour. Roast for fifteen minutes at 480° F.; then reduce heat to 350° F. and continue roasting, allowing thirty minutes to the pound. If you wish to have the skin soft, baste every fifteen minutes with hot stock; if crisp (and it's better that way), baste with melted butter. When the roast is ready, remove to a hot serving platter. Remove the piece of wood from the mouth, replace with a bright red apple and insert cranberries for eyes. Finally crown with a wreath of bay leaves. The ears and tail have a tendency to burn, so wrap them carefully in buttered paper which should be removed during the last half hour of roasting.
***End of Recipe***

Lentils are eaten in Italian homes just after midnight on New Year's Eve. The belief is that eating lentils will bring you money throughout the rest of the year.
Italian Lentils (Lenticchie)

1 lb. dry lentil beans
2 carrots, peeled, divided
2 stalks celery, divided
2 medium onions, chopped, divided
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. butter
2-3 leaves fresh sage
1/4 cup tomato sauce
salt to taste

Wash the lentils and then soak them overnight in a big pan with abundant water.
Drain the lentils and rinse them. Put the lentils in a large pan and add a whole carrot, one celery stalk, one medium onion and salt to taste. Add water enough to cover everything. Bring to a boil and the reduce to a low heat; cover and let them simmer for about 2 - 3 hours. Check occasionally to see if they are done; check for seasoning that they are salted correctly.

If there is too much liquid towards the end of the cooking time, remove the lid and let the excess liquid cook down. Or, if the lentils are dry, add a little water.
About a 30 minutes before they are done, heat a pan with the butter and oil. Add remaining carrot, celery and onion, all finely chopped. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes; then add the tomato sauce and two fresh sage leaves. Cook at a low heat for another ten minutes. Add them to the lentils and cook together for 10 minutes mixing frequently. Serve with a boiled sausage like Cotechino or Zampone .
***End of Recipe***

Korean Rice Cake Soup
Korean people normally eat this soup on New Year's Day. They believe that each bowl eaten adds one year to your life. This is a great winter soup.

Beef
Beef broth
Rice Cakes
eggs
chopped green onions
chopped garlic
sesame oil
Cut the beef into thin strips and fry in a small amount of oil. Pour the broth into a large soup pot and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, separate egg yolks and whites. Beat lightly. Cook egg yolk in a small pan like an omelet. Place on plate to cool. Roll up, then cut in thin shreds. Repeat with egg whites.
When the broth begins to boil, add the onions and garlic, along with pieces of rice cake; cook. You can also add ramyun (Korean noodles). Add the meat. Season to taste with sesame oil, salt and pepper. Serve in bowls with egg strips on top.
***End of Recipe***

UNITED STATES
The kiss shared at the stroke of midnight in the United States is derived from masked balls that have been common throughout history. As tradition has it, the masks symbolize evil spirits from the old year and the kiss is the purification into the new year.

We are sure there are many traditional foods eaten on New Year’s Eve not covered tonight. Using keyword you should find more.

Thank you for coming tonight. It has been a great year of friendship and good recipes. Amy and I look forward to sharing with you in the new year. Happy New Year to all.