Author of the 
Wed
31
Dec '08
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)
- Fish For Friday Recipe of the Week: Panko Crusted Shrimp Lollipops
- Hugging the Coast.Com Holiday Dip Recipe
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December 31st, 2008 at 10:08 am
Glad to see the Sarma listed (I just have a full pot on my stove at the moment).
But I have to add that Sarma is specific to the whole Balkans (not only Croatia), if not all over Europe.
It is very hard to attribute a specific food to a country in Europe due to the turbulent history where borders were changed almost twice per century.
For instance, I am Romanian, but I can’t think of a specific dish that solely Romanian.
But hey! We love Sarma (we call it Sarmale) HA!
Cheers!
Gabi @ mamaliga.com
December 31st, 2008 at 1:00 pm
What a very diverse and interesting list. Hope you have a “lucky” New Year too!
January 1st, 2009 at 9:50 am
Last night we used black eyed peas to make a dip: add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and voila!
Happy 2009!
January 2nd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Thanks for sharing! I made Hoppin’ John yesterday, but I had no idea of the other traditional New Year’s foods!
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Lentils are definitely all the rage in a New Year’s banquet in Italy, although usually they are served not in a risotto, but along with cotechino, a very fat pork sausage that boils for several hours.
Lentils are such a must on the menu (many places where you go for dinner will serve stewed lentils after midnight) because are supposed to bring money. And who doesn’t want money in the New Year???
Ciao, happy new year!
Vanessa
January 4th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
yum!! thanks so much - what a GREAT list!
January 2nd, 2010 at 8:24 am
Great list. I grew up in NC and my Mother always insisted on having Cabbage, blackeye peas and ham (or some type of pork)on New Years’s Day. Never knew where it came from or why.
Can anyone tell me the meaning of the three items?