Americans who celebrate on New Year's Eve with a bottle of
Champagne, party hats and a kiss at midnight have an important
lesson to learn from the rest of the world (and certain regions
of this country): the arrival of the New Year is meant for
feasting. As the New Year arrives around the globe, special
cakes and breads abound, as do long noodles (representing long
life), field peas (representing coins), herring (representing
abundance) and pigs (representing good luck). The particulars
vary, but the general theme is the same: to sit down and share a
meal with family and friends to usher in a year of prosperity.
Here are some of the common traditions around the world and a
few hints about where to partake in them: Hoppin' John, American
South A major New Year's food tradition in the American South,
Hoppin' John is a dish of pork-flavored field peas or black-eyed
peas (symbolizing coins) and rice, frequently served with
collards or other cooked greens (as they're the color of money)
and cornbread (the color of