December 2015

It’s that time again.

January is named for the god of gateways and beginnings, and if there’s one day that represents those ideas in our culture, it’s New Year’s Day. Every family, culture, and region has its own customs for celebrating the transition from year to year, and a remarkable number of them revolve around food. Regardless of year-long resolutions, these traditional edibles pack in the positive karma for the first day of the year.

Dilly Beans

The manifestations of good-luck beans are numerous, but among the most simple, delicious, and fun is the dilly bean. These homemade refrigerator pickles will delight any crowd.

Chili (with Cornbread)

Chili might be among the most American of New Year’s foods. For a really fun and tasty first-day dinner, host a chili cookoff complete with voting and prizes. Cornbread promises to double the good fortune, especially with whole kernels added to symbolize gold nuggets.

Pork & Sauerkraut

Plenty of people prepare pork to ring in the New Year, including many in the American South. Perhaps it’s because pigs never move backwards, and most of us would hope not to, either. Just to the south of Rochester, thousands of people can be found carrying on the German tradition of pairing sauerkraut with their pork.

Fish

Some may scoff at the idea of eating pickled herring at midnight (or maybe ever), but the silver scales of these fish have been associated with economic success for generations. The tradition seems to have been picked up by many other cultures, so the diversity of lucky fish seems to extend to most varieties covered in shiny scales.

Sound fishy?

For those resistant to superstition, associating your annual wellbeing with a meal could seem silly. But maybe it’s more about the eating than the food. Sharing traditions with your loved ones can build lasting memories and add meaning to special occasions. To be rich in family or friendship seems a great way to measure prosperity — don’t you think?