Happy New Year!! How many of these traditions do you follow?

I'm sure all of us have our very own New Years food traditions....mine eating at least a spoon full of black eyed peas...but it seems like every year I hear of new ones so I thought I would share some interesting facts out about our traditions or superstitions if you may.

*Legumes: beans, peas and lentils are symbolic for money. Apparently different parts of the world choose different legumes....I.E- Brazilians have lentil soup; Japanese eat sweet black beans; Germans traditionally have lentil or split pea soup with sausage; and us Southerns in the United States, we eat Black Eyed Peas. This tradition traces back to the time of the Civil War in a small town in Mississippi. They ran out of food while under attack and apparently the residents of the city found some black eyes peas thus dawning the small legume "lucky".

*Pork: Symbolizing progress. The animal that continues to push forward, rooting itself in the ground before going forward. Again, a vast variety of pork dishes throughout the world but here in the U S of A, we eat it because we feel the rich fat of the meat is an indicator of wealth and prosperity.

*Cooked greens: green leaves look like money!!! And don't we all want just a little more of that from time to time. Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon; Germans enjoy sauerkraut (of course they would!) and the United States eats collard greens. Never tried collard greens?? Try this for a tasty green treat.

*Grapes: This one was a first for me. The people of Spain eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight....one for each bell tole. This interesting tradition started when there was a grape surplus in the country and it stuck. Each grape represents a different month and the goal is to consume all 12 grapes before the last stroke of midnight.

*Fish: Cod more specifically. This started long before the time of refrigeration and cod was easily preserved and transported. Danish eat boiled cod; Italians enjoy dried salt cod between Christmas and the New Year; The Polish and Germans consume herring at midnight; Japanese eat herring roe for fertility, shrimp for long life and dried sardines for a good harvest.

*Germans leave a little bit of food on their plate past midnight to guarantee a stocked pantry in the New Year. And the Philippines believe it is important to leave food on the table at midnight. Why?? Eat as much lucky food as you can, just don't get too greedy or you'll spend the first part of the New Year in the gym!

I hope everyone had there traditional food today because I sure ate my spoon full of black eyes peas and maybe next year I'll try for another one of these interesting traditions.

Source: Epicurious