New Year’s Eve is almost here to be celebrated by everyone around the world. Everyone has their own ways to celebrate it. Commonly, people celebrate New Year by partying. Whether with friends or family, a party is not a party without good food and beverages. Several countries in the world have their traditional cooking or foods that they usually serve at New Year’s Dinner.
Here are some foods you can try to cook and eat with your family
1. Soba Noodles
Countries in Asia, such as Japan and China, celebrate their new year by serving Soba Noodles. Japanese usually serve toshikoshi soba as a way to bid farewell to the year gone by and welcoming the year ahead. In the 14th century, thin noodles symbolized longevity and prosperity; therefore, it’s best for us to eat the noodles without breaking it or making it short.
2. Kransekage
Kransekage is a traditional Danish and Norwegian pastry. It’s mean “Wreath Cake”, a cake tower that consists of several cakes layered on top of one another created by marzipan with a wine bottle in the center of the cake. Beside New Year celebration, often prepared for any other occasions such as Christmas, weddings and Constitution Day.
3. Twelve Grapes
In Spain, people prepare grapes in their New Year’s Eve party. The tradition is called las doce uvas de la suerte, or the 12 lucky grapes, where they eat 12 grapes before the clock strikes 12. These 12 grapes represent 12 wishes and 12 months of the year to bring you luck in the next year. The practice was established in the 20th century by grape producers in the southern region of the country, which it continues until now and expands in every Spanish-speaking country.
4. Oliebollen
Oliebollen, or oliebol (fried oil balls) is a Dutch traditional pastry that’s made from dough scooped by an ice cream scoop. Oliebol in Holland are usually sold in a street food trailer named Oliebollenkraams around Amsterdam. Commonly oliebol are commonly eaten as a portable snack that remains as a seasonal treat, usually made and brought to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
Read also 4 Foods That Have Been Consumed For Thousand Years
5. Lentils
Italy also has their own traditional foods. One of them is called Lentils, or lenticchie. Usually served as cotechino con lenticchie, a combination of sausage and lentil stew that’s served during La Festa di San Silvestro. Lentils are the symbol of good luck in Italy since it is shaped like a coin, mirroring Romans coins. In ancient Rome, to wish prosperity and luck to a family member or friend, Romans would bring them a pouch full of lentils. The tradition started in the ancient time of Rome and still prosper until today.
