Wondering what everyone else is eating to celebrate New Year’s around the world (and across America)?

Here’s a list of 25 lucky regional and ethnic foods and their recipes that will help you start the new year right. According to legend, all of the New Year’s foods below are reputed to attract prosperity for the new year.

Organized By “Lucky” Ingredient

Black Eyed Peas (Cowpeas)

• U.S. South: Black-Eyed Peas with Andouille Sausage and Rice (Hoppin John) from The Cook’s Tour
• U.S. South: New Year’s Day Good Fortune Soup from Homesick Texan
• U.S. South: Pork and Black Eyed Pea Jambalaya from About.Com: Southern Food

Cabbage

• Croatia: Sarma (Stuffed Cabbage) from All Recipes
• Germany: New Year’s Day Sauerkraut from Sauerkraut Recipes
• Korea: Oi-sobagi Kimchi Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi from Chow.Com
• Korea: Sweet Potato and Kim Chi Pancakes from Epicurious

Grapes

• Spain and Cuba: 12 grapes are rapidly consumed just after midnight.

Greens (Collard Greens, Spinach, etc.)

• U.S. South: Collard Greens from What’s Cooking America 
• U.S. South: Creamed Turnip Greens from Andrea’s Recipes

Lentils

• Hungary: Hungarian Lentil Soup (Lencse Leves) from Yum Recipes 
• Italy: Risotto with Lentils and Pancetta from About.Com: Italian Food

Pork

• U.S. South: Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard
• U.S. South: Charleston Chili
• U.S. South: Pork and Black Eyed Pea Jambalaya from About.Com: Southern Food
• Germany and Poland: Stuffed Pork Chops with Kielbasa and Sauerkraut from Simply Recipes

Seafood

• Denmark: Torsk (Broiled and Buttered Cod Fillets from Cooks’ Recipes
• Germany: German New Year’s Herring from Yum Foods
• Italy: Salt Cod With Polenta (Baccala alla Vicentina) from the Food Network
• Poland: Polish Rollmops from About.Com: Eastern European Food

Misc.

• Greece: Vassilopitta (St. Basil’s Cake) from In Mama’s Kitchen
• Holland: Olie Bollen (Dutch Doughnuts) from Fabulous Foods
• Native American (Cree Indian): Boullets (New Year’s Meatball Soup) from The Perfect Pantry 
• U.S. South: Huguenot Torte from Discover South Carolina
• U.S. South: Real Cornbread from Aol.Com: Food

Enjoy!

If you liked this article on HuggingtheCoast.Com, you might also enjoy reading:

• 10 Last Minute Dessert Recipe Ideas for Delicious Home Holiday Entertaining
• Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard
• The Top 10 Hottest Food Trends of 2008 (and a Few Predictions for 2009)

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1. The Rise of Local and Regional Foods

Horrifying gas prices and increased press attention for such topics as local farmer’s markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) the slow food movement, as well as the revival of community dinner clubs in 2008 all helped bring the concept of eating local home.

Additionally, renewed interest in local restaurants (and home cooking) is likely to increase in response to the economic downturn, even as ssuch generic restaurant chains as Bennigans and Steak and Ale ended up declaring bankruptcy earlier this year.

Another recent restaurant chain to face bankruptcy this year was R.J. Gator’s (with locations in Florida, Texas, and North Carolina), while the Cheesecake Factory experienced disappointing earnings. In addition, such food chains as Ryan’s Family Steak House, Krispy Kreme, Boston Market, and Waffle House had to shutter some locations.

2. Fear of Food

2008 was also the year where the bogeyman was found in the kitchen cupboard, instead of under the bed, due to dozens of widespread food scares and recalls.

Tainted foods distributed by a wide variety of companies rightfully came under scrutiny, as such foods as tomatoes, pork, lettuce, hot dogs, ground beef, etc. all became part of massive recalls and product alerts for reasons that ranged from melamine contamination to listeria.

Related Links:

• The USDA’s Food Recall List
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Recall List

3. Superfruits

2008 was clearly the year of the superfruit. One could hardly go anywhere without coming across breaking news about the myriad health benefits of pomegranates, acai, and goji (also known as the wolfberry).

The good news: most of these superfruits are easy to love once one tries them, are fun to cook, and are considered to be high in phytonutrients.

4. Food Blogs

Are you passionate about food and cooking and love to write? Then you might want to join the thousands of food bloggers (both professional and amateur) who find the time to share recipes, cooking tips, food photos, and local restaurant reviews several times a week on their food blogs.

Even musician John Mayer (also known as Jennifer Aniston’s on again, off again boyfriend) has a food blog.

As books from some of the best food bloggers continue to end up in bookstores and grow in popularity, watch for independent food blogging to become more and more accepted by the mainstream press.

Books written by food bloggers so far include:

• Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julia Powell (soon to be a movie starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Stanley Tucci)
• Gluten-Free Girl: How I Found the Food That Loves Me Back…And How You Can Too by Shauna James Ahern
• Clotilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris by Clotilde Dusoulier
• Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen (also by Clotilde Dusoulier)
• The World Is a Kitchen: Cooking Your Way Through Culture edited by Michele Anna Jordan and Susan Brady
• Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip–Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by Steve Dublanica

5. Molecular Gastronomy

Both controversial and thought provoking, Molecular Gastronomy’s (sometimes bizarre) marriage of food and science has both intrigued and confused gourmets for years.

However since such Molecular Gastronomy proponents as chef Grant Achatz of Alinea’s 2008 James Beard Award win and El Bulli chef Ferran Adria’s frequent mentions in the press, Molecular Gastronomy has truly hit the mainstream this year.

Related Links:

• The Father of Molecular Gastronomy Whips Up a New Formula
• Meet the World’s Best Chef

6. Cooking for Kids

From the Food Network, to childrens’ cooking camps and kid friendly cooking classes, both boys and girls are finding it easier than ever to develop a passion for good food and the culinary arts at an early age.

7. Organic Food Goes Truly Mainstream

Sure, if you’re a regular shopper at your local health food store or farmer’s market, organic food is nothing new to you.

However, even those who do most of their food shopping at conventional supermarkets outside of major metro areas couldn’t help noticing increased choices for organic food were popping up this year; from organic baby food to organic wines and beers.

Unfortunately, due to the economy, this trend may lessen somewhat in 2009.

As it says in this New York Times article about projected sales of organic foods:

“The sales volume of organic products, which had been growing at 20 percent a year in recent years, slowed to a much lower growth rate in the last few months, according to the Nielsen Company, a market research firm. For the four-week period that ended Oct. 4, the volume of organic products sold rose just 4 percent compared with the same period a year earlier…”

“Organics continue to grow and outpace many categories,” the Nielsen Company concluded in an October report. “However, recent weeks are showing slower growths, possibly a start of an organics growth plateau.”

8. Farm to Table

As organic food hit the mainstream, the farm to table movement also took hold as more people became interested in both where and how their foods ended up on their tables. A corresponding interest in quality over quantity led to a boom in artisanal cheeses and heirloom meats.

James Beard Award nominated chef, Sean Brock of McCrady’s in Charleston, South Carolina started a farm on Wadmalaw Island to grow fruits and vegetables for the restaurant’s season based menu. A proponent of the farm to table movement, Brock regularly gives lectures encouraging the next crop of chefs to do the same.

9. Probiotic Foods

As the baby boomers get older, there has been a renewed interest in the use of probiotics (friendly bacteria) to help maintain their digestive health, a practice already popular among those in Asia and Europe.

Such food manufacturers as Dannon, TCBY, Attune Foods, Stonyfield Farm, and Lifeway Foods have started to take notice, offering everything from probiotic yogurt, snack bars, cereal, shakes, and (oddly enough) even energy drinks.

According to a 2008 report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., San Jose, CA, the global probiotics market is expected to reach $20 billion by 2010.

Related Links:

• In Live Bacteria, Food Makers See a Bonanza

10. Bacon Everything (and We Mean Everything)

Here’s a disturbing trend that must keep cardiologists up at night; bacon on everything and in everything.

2008 saw such foods as bacon brownies, bacon vodka, bacon and egg ice cream (from triple-Michelin-starred restaurant, Fat Duck) and perhaps most alarming of all, a product called Uncle Oinker’s Bacon Mints.

You can see more unusual bacon-centric foods here.

If you liked this article on HuggingtheCoast.Com, you might also enjoy reading:

• 10 Last Minute Dessert Recipe Ideas for Delicious Home Holiday Entertaining
• Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard
• 25 Lucky New Year’s Day Regional and Ethnic Food Recipes From Around the World

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There are certain words that mark me as a ‘Comeyah’ (i.e., someone who’s just ‘come here’, as opposed to a ‘Beenyah’) in the South Carolina Lowcountry. I still say ‘Autumn’ instead of ‘Fall’, for example, and ’scallion’ instead of ‘green onion’.

However, I am making some progress in one important area: I’m getting a lot better at remembering to say ‘benne’ instead of ’sesame’.

Folks here refer to the seeds by their African name, and use them in such local goodies as the thin, sweet benne seed wafers that are a staple of holiday entertaining. This recipe combines versatile benne seeds with savory Southern flavors for a deliciously addictive appetizer or cocktail snack. Best of all, they’ll save you time in the kitchen, since you’re not making one at a time, but sixteen at a time!

Even though these are fried, they’re light and not at all greasy, and because they’re so thin they don’t require very much oil. They’re perfect paired with the spicy Louisiana Honey Mustard dipping sauce, but would also be nice with a mild barbeque sauce.

Here’s a photo of the Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard Dip below.

Ingredients:

For the Honey Mustard Dpping Sauce:

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (such as Crystal or Trappey’s)
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and chill. This recipe can be doubled.

For the Party Bites:

2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup green pepper, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
1-1/4 lb lean ground pork
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
12 egg roll wrappers
1 large egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
Sesame seeds
Canola or vegetable oil for frying

PREPARATION:

Thoroughly combine the first nine ingredients (scallions through peanuts) in a bowl, and divide into six roughly equal parts.

On a lightly floured or non-stick surface (I use a silicone baking mat), lay out two egg roll wrappers (keep the remainder in plastic or under a lightly dampened paper towel.)

Brush the surface of both wrappers with beaten egg. Spread one-sixth of the meat mixture evenly over one of the wrappers (a fork works well for this), then lay the other wrapper (egg side down) on top. Gently press down on the surface to remove air pockets. Brush the top with additional egg, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds, and press down lightly to help seeds adhere.

Cut the wrapper cross-wise into four squares, then cut each square diagonally to make four triangles. Use the knife blade to lift the triangles, and place them seed-side down (it’ll make them easier to pick up again) on a cookie sheet or tray. Cover with plastic while you repeat with the other egg roll wrappers.

In a skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of oil over medium-high heat to 360 degrees, or until the tip of a chopstick inserted into the oil sends up a steady stream of little bubbles. Gently place several of the triangles in the oil, taking care not to crowd the pan so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much (low oil temp is the main cause of ‘greasy’ fried foods.)

When just golden, turn and brown the other side (watch closely as these cook very quickly.) Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining triangles. Makes 96 party bites.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

If you liked this article on HuggingtheCoast.Com, you might also enjoy reading:

• 10 Last Minute Dessert Recipe Ideas for Delicious Home Holiday Entertaining
• The Top 10 Hottest Food Trends of 2008 (and a Few Predictions for 2009)
• 25 Lucky New Year’s Day Regional and Ethnic Food Recipes From Around the World

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Here’s a look back at the posts that appeared earlier in the week here on HuggingtheCoast.Com…please join us tomorrow for the start of next week’s exciting food features!

Looking Back: 12/22/2008-12/28/2008

Monday: Carolina Christmas Pomegranate Milk Pie

Tuesday: Our Top 10 Favorite Christmas and New Year’s Eve Holiday Recipes!

Wednesday: 10 Last Minute Dessert Recipe Ideas for Delicious Home Holiday Entertaining

Thursday: Happy Holidays From HuggingtheCoast.Com!

Friday: Fish For Friday Recipe of the Week: Panko Crusted Shrimp Lollipops

Saturday: Weekend Video Spotlight: Holiday Festival of Lights in Charleston, SC

Sunday: You are here

Please join us tomorrow to see our new recipe for Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard, an easy and addictive finger food appetizer just in time for New Year’s Eve.

Here’s a video we recently created which shows highlights from Charleston, South Carolina’s popular Christmas Holiday Festival of Lights which is held annually from November 14th to January 4th on beautiful James Island…enjoy!

To help continue the holiday spirit as we move closer to New Year’s Eve and the start of 2009, here’s a fun recipe for Panko Crusted Shrimp Lollipops from the folks at White on Rice Recipes.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound shrimp (225 g), shelled & deveined
1/2 pound chicken (225 g) or 2 zucchini (other options). Cut into about 2-3 inch strips.
2 T (30 ml) Sesame Oil (optional)
3-4 dashes of Fish Sauce (optional)
1/4 c (60 ml) Soy Sauce (optional)
3 T (45 ml) Granulated Sugar (optional)
1 T (15 ml) Finely Grated Fresh Ginger (optional)
2 Cloves Garlic, finely mashed in mortar & pestle (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
1 c (240 ml) Flour
1 c (240 ml) Panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil to fry
Tooth picks or short bamboo skewers

Here’s a wonderful video by jeffostroff which features a 40,000 LED Christmas light show orchestrated to the holiday classic, Carol Of The Bells. You can see it below (and/or find out more about this amazing light display here).

Please join us tomorrow, when we’ll share a recipe for Panko Crusted Shrimp Lollipops as part of our Fish For Friday Recipe of the Week leading up to New Year’s Eve and the start of 2009!

Still stumped what to make for dessert for your party guests and family this holiday season?

Consider trying these 10 wonderful last minute dessert ideas:

1. Grandma’s Snowflake Sugar Cookies from The Life and Times of Grumpy’s Honeybunch

2. Nigella Lawson’s Holiday Hot Cakes with Eggnog Cream from Leite’s Culinaria

You can see Nigella Lawson make this easy English dessert here in this cooking video.

3. Sugar Cookie Christmas Trees from Creative Confectionery

4. DIY Peppermint Bark from The Hungry Engineer

5. Video and Text Recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Dani Spies

6. Christmas Cappuccino Mousse from Village Voice

7. Gran’s Christmas Fudge from Key Ingredient

There’s also a fun video for this easy chocolate fudge recipe which you can see here or below:

8. Berry Healthy Ricotta Dessert from D.K.’s Culinary Bazaar

9. Dorie Greenspan’s Christmas Galette from Bon Appetit

10. Video Recipe: An Easy Yule Log Cake For Kids from Epicurious.Com’s YouTube Channel

Enjoy!

(Photo Credit: Grandma’s Snowflake Sugar Cookies by The Life and Times of Grumpy’s Honeybunch)

If you liked this article on HuggingtheCoast.Com, you might also enjoy reading:

• Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard
• 25 Lucky New Year’s Day Regional and Ethnic Food Recipes From Around the World
• The Top 10 Hottest Food Trends of 2008 (and a Few Predictions for 2009)
• 25 Lucky New Year’s Day Regional and Ethnic Food Recipes From Around the World

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Over the past year, (my how time flies!) we’ve created 50 original recipes which we’ve enjoyed sharing with you here on HuggingtheCoast.Com. You can see part one and two of our original recipes below:

Doug DuCap’s Original Recipes: Part 1 and Part 2.

Of course, we’ll be adding many more new recipes to the site in 2009 (and beyond)!

Here’s a list of our Top 10 Favorite Christmas and New Year’s Eve Holiday Recipes

1. Carolina Christmas Pomegranate Milk Pie (Just added yesterday!)

2. Hugging the Coast.Com’s Holiday Dip Recipe

3. Shrimp & Blue Cheese Blossoms With Vidalia Cranberry Marmalade

4. Four Cheese Mac-A-Rita Cocktail

5. Chicken Pomegranate Stuffed Shells With Gorgonzola Cream and Pine Nuts

6. Coconut Chipotle Mojo Shrimp With Pomegranate Relish

7. Low Country Layered Banana Pudding

8. Turkey and Cipolline Stuffed Mushrooms

9. Guava and Cheese Abuelita Pastries

10. Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp With Capers

Alas, our new recipe for Crispy Benne Seed Party Bites With Louisiana Honey Mustard won’t be up on Hugging the Coast until December 29th.

However, if you’d like to see the full recipe in advance, the folks at Wandering Educators already have the recipe for the Party Bites here as part of an article on holiday recipes!

Perfect for either Christmas or New Year’s party appetizers, these delicious and easy to make finger foods feature scallions, peppers, celery, peanuts, sesame seeds (also known as benne seeds here in Charleston, SC), and soy sauce and can be made with either pork or ground beef or turkey…enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Believe it or not, Charleston, SC and pomegranates go way back.

Before there was even a United States, there were pomegranates. The Spanish conquistadors introduced them to the New World in Mexico, California, and Florida. The English later cultivated pomegranates in the warmer American colonies, with the area around Charleston being a particularly successful producer. In 1764, the renowned early American botanist John Bartram was known to have received at his home in Pennsylvania a barrel of pomegranates and oranges from a correspondent in Charleston.

And it goes without saying that Charleston and grits go way back, too!

This simple and deliciously creamy pie is made with the basic staples (eggs, milk, yellow corn grits), but with the addition of a couple of colonial-era treats – pomegranate and coconut – that would have made a holiday dessert special. The top is decorated with mint leaf ‘pine needles’, a mint and pomegranate ‘holly’ cluster, and powdered sugar ’snow’ on the ‘hilltops’ – something we in the aptly named Lowcountry don’t have!

Special thanks to Sam of Greek Food Recipes and Reflections for his inspiring Galatopita recipe!

Here’s a photo of the Carolina Christmas Pomegranate Milk Pie below.

Ingredients:

1 large pomegranate
5 cups milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup yellow grits, “quick”-type (not instant)
1 tsp ground coriander
3 eggs, well beaten
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (approx.) sweetened flaked coconut
1 Tbsp honey
Mint leaves (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

PREPARATION:

Cut the pomegranate and remove the arils. Measure 1 cup of arils and set the remainder aside for decoration. Preheat the over to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat to a near boil. Add the butter, sugar, and salt and stir until melted. Whisk in the grits and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until grits have begun to thicken (about 7 - 10 minutes.) Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the coriander, and allow the grits to cool for a few minutes.

Drizzle in the beaten eggs a little at a time, whisking to incorporate them completely before adding more.

Generously coat the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan (see Cook’s Note) with cooking spray and shake in the flaked coconut, turning the pan to coat the sides. Gently pour in half of the grit batter, spreading carefully with a spatula if necessary. Sprinkle the pomegranate arils evenly over the batter, then pour in the remaining batter, smoothing it to the edges if necessary.

Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours (depending on the type of pan) or until top is golden brown and puffy. Turn off heat and allow pan to remain in oven for an additional 15 minutes. Remove and place on a rack. Top will deflate and leave an uneven surface; this is normal. Let cool completely before refrigerating or decorating.

To decorate: mix the honey with a little warm water and brush the honey on top (if you plan to dust the ‘hilltops’ with powdered sugar, only brush the honey in the ‘valleys’.) Top with the remaining pomegranate arils and finely-cut mint leaves, if using. Serves 8 - 12.

Cook’s Note: You can also make this in a deep pie pan, but you may need to shorten the cooking time.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.