FOOD:   A SOUTHERN NEW YEARS!

I’ve always been made to believe that I must have certain food at the New Year if I wanted my year to move in a positive direction. So I’ve spent every New Year of my adult life making sure that I consumed the mandated food, with the hope that it delivers a wonderful forthcoming year!

As I started out mid-morning on the 1st day of the year due to my New Year’s Eve Cheer.  My phone started ringing non-stop everybody wanted to know “what ya doing?” See I already know what their up to before the even get started. Me, I’m just waiting for the next question “You cookin?” Me, “Ya” (with the anticipation of the next question) “What?” This year I decided that I would answer in a whole new way, “On the menu today is the following: Good Luck, Prosperity, Abundance, Health, Fortune and some good ol Corn Bread!”

Luckily each and every one of them knew what foods had my pots clickin! They also knew that I in no way would be able to talk long for my fear of getting off on the wrong foot at the first of the year. You know what they say “What you’re doing at the first of the year, you’ll be doing all year long”. This year and no other year am I willing to take a chance at ruining my cooking reputation of “she burned it up!” compared to “she burned it up”…my family and friends love my cooking and I want to keep it that way!

Most of us are familiar with what foods we should have for the New Year. Some of the dishes that we consume are Greens, ya know your basic cabbage, collards, turnips, mustards, kale or maybe chard see these vegetables look like folded money. This Southern tradition continued on with many as they migrated to other areas of the country, the belief is the more you eat the larger your fortune for the year!

Black Eye Peas/Hoppin John tradition started in Mississippi during the Civil War a town ran out of food while they were being attached fortunately they discovered black-eyed peas which kept their bellies full therefore the peas were considered lucky and are symbolic of money (coins).  This is another one of those financial reward foods that continue to be a Southern and African American dish consumed in the New Year.

Pork, since the pig pushes forward rooting itself in the ground before moving, this symbolizes progress and its rich fat content, offers wealth and prosperity.

The one common denominator I see in all three of the above is money, money, and more money!!

HOLD ON TO YOUR GOOD LUCK & FORTUNE IN 2014!

Since we always talk about what we should eat I wanted to see if there were any foods that we should not consume that may put a damper on the upcoming year. I found out that I would no longer make my pot of Seafood Gumbo on the 1st.  My new tradition from this day forward Gumbo will now be made on the 2nd day of the year. See a couple of my key ingredients such as Lobster, moves backwards and therefore lead to setbacks.  The other is Chicken, this bird scratches backwards and can bring on regret or dwelling in the past. In fact consuming any winged fowl will send your good luck flying away!

I’m really in shocked about the chicken/winged fowl belief since it has been a staple in many cultures since the beginning of time. In my home the yard bird is consumed all year long we bake, broil, fry, grill and stew, maybe it’s time to consider a new staple like fish they swim upstream. The Germans dine on Carp for the New Year and they’ve been known to place a few fish scales in their wallets for good luck.

Well this year is now off and running in full swing and I’ve had all my Good Luck, Prosperity, Abundance, Health and  Fortune foods, now I’m going to set back watch how this year’s unfolds.

Here’s Wishing All A Wonderful 2014!