New Year's Eve and New Year: superstitious foods

2022. 12. 24.

The role of the roast pig 

One of the most important characters on the New Year's Eve table is roast pork. Why? Because the pig is said to bring us luck, so if we eat a pig on New Year's Eve, we will have a lucky year. 

Actually, the pig is a symbol of abundance, which is why it is customary to eat it, especially during events that are intertwined with important ceremonies and superstitions. That's why it plays a role in the menu of the last day of the year. Of course, there is a practical reason for everything: in the old peasant world, November-December was the time for pig slaughter, so there was plenty of pork for the winter, the noblest parts of which were eaten during holidays.

How to make New Year's pig roast? It is worth roasting the meat slowly and for a long time with thyme, rosemary and beer. We can recommend such a pig roaster for professional roast pig. If you're baking in a large batch, you'd be safe.

The most superstitious food: lentils

Lentils are also a typical symbol of New Year's Eve. It's not New Year's without lentil soup. Why? Because the lens resembles small coins. Therefore, it symbolizes wealth and material abundance. That's why it's worth closing and opening the year with a delicious lentil dish. We recommend Indian lentil soup to those who would like to choose something new and spicy for this purpose. The original recipe also includes curry leaves, chili powder, fresh coriander, parsley and fresh ginger. Its divine taste will be a fantastic experience.

But you can also make lentil balls if you are tired of traditional lentil soup with sausage and lentil salad. Although the latter can also be prepared as a turbocharged tabbouleh with lentils, with lots of delicious spices, lemon juice, coriander and fresh flavors. And we have already placed something disruptive among the traditions.

Fish snacks: forbidden or not forbidden?

The fish situation is a bit complex. There are three versions, you have to be able to adjust to it. According to the first, it is forbidden to eat fish on New Year's Eve and New Year, because our luck will disappear. The second is no longer so strict: those who live by the water can eat fish, in which case the more scales the fish has, the better luck it will have in the new year. According to the third variation, you can eat fish on New Year's Eve, but it is forbidden after midnight. 

In reality, the role of fish appears at the end of the year because it symbolizes the Advent fast, since there was a ban on eating meat before Christmas just like before Easter. However, fish does not count in this case, so the vegetarian fasting days were supplemented with fish. The prohibition of fish can also come from this, since at the end of the fast, during the holidays, we already consume symbols of abundance.

If you decide to choose the interpretation of the superstitions that you like the most and still eat fish on New Year's Eve, then we recommend sushi. Festive, non-traditional food, which can actually be prepared at home for little money, yet it provides very exciting and trendy snacks for the party. Here are some important supplies for making sushi.

Apple

The apple is an important symbol, both during the Christmas holidays and around New Year's Eve. Because it is an ancient fertility symbol, which is also connected with health in Hungarian culture. What should be made from apples? For example, a champagne cocktail! 

First, dip the glasses in which you want to serve the drinks in cinnamon sugar. Take one and a half dl of cider, then mix it with a pinch of cinnamon. Fill the glass with cider mixed with cinnamon, then pour 1.5 dl of champagne. Cut an apple and decorate the glass with some articles.

Of course, the real pro level is when you serve fruit salad from a glass made of fruit. Let's say with apples, cinnamon, and oranges. How? Let's say with this vegetable cup maker.

New Year's superstitions: what about the strudel?

Strudel is an almost obligatory dish on New Year's Eve. Why? Because you have to stretch the pastry well. Because the longer it is, the longer our luck will stretch. What do we fill it with? With lots of poppies, because the richer the filling, the richer the year will be. That's why it's worth serving a delicious strudel at the New Year's Eve party. You can also come up with creative fillings, for example by combining different fillings you can conjure divine flavors. With nut-honey, curd-mango, apple-cinnamon or plum-cinnamon custard, you are sure to make a great dessert. Maybe vanilla-raspberry or chocolate cherry? The range of sweet pastries is endless.

But you can also make delicious savory strudels. With ham and cheese and herbs, some excitingly spiced meat ragu? With savory vegetables? A little savory strudel can be a very tasty dish instead of or alongside a sandwich at a New Year's Eve party.

If you want exciting, special fillings for your strudel, then you will have all the tools you need with an Assistant food processor. If you have the accessories to, you won't need anything else.

A ban on chicken and turkey?

Why shouldn't turkey and chicken be eaten on New Year's Eve? It's because both poultry steal our luck. In addition, according to superstition, turkey incites anger, so if we eat turkey on the last day of the year or on New Year's, we can expect a lot of anger and strife.

Therefore, leave these dishes for next year. If you would like to eat something light, then prepare a cold dish with ham rolls, strictly pork ham, deviled eggs and delicious salads. If you're bored with horseradish-mayonnaise ham roll, fill it with curd cream with green spices instead, so you get a light, delicious meal.

Fresh bread

You should make fresh bread on the 31st. But eat it the same day and leave some for the first day of the new year. According to superstition, this is how the next year will be abundant.

Now that we have collected a bunch of interesting things and a bunch of recipe ideas, it will certainly be easy to plan the New Year's Eve menu.

The Gammo company group wishes you a Happy New Year with these ideas!

Sources: 

http://real.mtak.hu/93694/1/allatszimbolumtar_mtmt.pdf

Hungarian Ethnographic Lexicon