It’s time to step in to 2022. Looking forward to it with much hope and happiness each country has their way to play with food traditions around new year. From eating Hoppin' John to eat 12 grapes right at midnight in Spain to have a bowl of toshikoshi soba in Japan call them superstitious or call them just another excise to eat these traditions have bene there since ages.
Eating 12 grapes at Spain
To mark the coming 12 months of the new year in Spain it’s a custom to eat12 grapes right at midnight. Traditionally, the Spanish people don’t start until after midnight, when people eat 12 grapes for good luck. Make sure that they must be eaten right at the stroke of midnight. The country sees one of the highest sell of grapes at this time of the year
Eat Hoppin' John from America
In South America the custom of eating Hoppin' John hold much relevance. This dish made of pork-flavored field peas or black-eyed peas that’s known to symbolize coins and rice, frequently served with collards or other cooked greens (being the colour of money) and cornbread (the color of gold), this dish is known to bring good luck. This minimal chopping dish is absolutely great post for post party hangover. Different folklore supposedly trace the history in different ways.
Tamales from Mexico
Mexicans known to play with their corn. They celebrate eating Tamales, a dish where corn dough is stuffed with meat, cheese and then wrapped in a banana leaf or a corn husk. On New Year's, this is a must to be served and is trippy good for hangovers. This is almost like a street food during New year.
Eating Lentils in Italy
Do you know lentils are supposed to bring good, at least that’s what the Italian think? Lentils are served on New Year's Eve after midnight is known to bring luck. Served with a spicy pork sausage, and zampone, a deboned pig trotter the Pork signifies bounty of the land. Even if you are drunk walk carefully as Italians are known to throw old possessions out the window after midnight as a sign to embrace the new and throw out the old.
Feasting in Osechi ryori or Sobo noodles in Japan
Japanese meal is incomplete without noodles so be it the Sobo noodles or the whole meal that will includes pink prawns, cucumber, salmon roe and mandarin oranges it’s supposed to be much traditional. While the eating of Sobo noodles dates back to 17th century, and most families prefer to eat buckwheat soba noodles, or toshikoshi soba, at midnight on New Year's Eve to bid farewell to the year that’s passing by. The mochi rice cakes are also much in demand during New year.
Pickled herring in Scandinavia and Poland
As parts of Scandinavia and Poland sees abundance of Herring, hence this makes to the New year food tradition. Eating pickled herring at the stroke of midnight is linked with brining year of prosperity , some even choose to eat pickled herring in cream sauce while others have it with onions. Much lightly spiced and not too vinegary, these are much quick and easy to make.
Tasting a Kransekage in Denmark
Eating a towering cake called kransekage for New Year's Eve in Denmark is a real delight. This traditional dessert in almost up to 18 layers and it sees marzipan rings and at times topped with icing, chocolate and almonds. The cake is shaped like a reminiscent of a cornucopia, or horn of plenty, and is known to be a symbol of future of happiness and financial success.