What Are Your Culinary New Year's Traditions?

[love2travel]

My husband and I live far away from our families so several years ago began a new tradition of our own. We do a major fondue spread for two. We have two fondue pots but borrow a couple more. This year we are having:

- Goat cheese, provolone and roasted garlic fondue with homemade focaccia, green bean tempura, asparagus spear tempura, broccoli tempura, mushroom tempura

- Flavoured oil fondue with marinated chicken and beef and a Thai chile dipping sauce

- Chocolate fondue with homemade angel food cake, grilled pineapple, grilled peaches (or nectarines or plums - whatever we find), grapes, strawberries

It can get quite messy and there is a lot of prep involved but it is fun and interactive. Do you have any traditions you would like to share?

[alex11602]

That sounds absolutely delicious!!!

We have always gone to my mother's house and had a bunch of appetizers... most of them gluten filled so this year my husband and I are talking about staying home. I am thinking that we will do our own little spread of appetizers since that has always been what we had. Since the food is very simple that day I'm thinking...

-homemade garlic rosemary fries

-almond flour breaded chicken nuggets

-homemade corn tortilla chips with salsa, a spinach dip and a taco dip

-My daughter found a pizza fondue recipe that sounded kind of good, but I'm not sure what I would serve with it so I will be thinking on that and other things that I can make

We will also bring in the new year with a toast of Ocean Spray Sparkling Cranberry

[Takala]

(muttering....) My New Year Tradition will be do not go to a restaurant, even one with a gluten free menu and a good reputation, that I may have eaten at before, because being glutened on New Years Day is miserable. My second one is don't try any new store- bought, manufactured gluten free items containing any grain products whatsoever on the eve of any holiday, even if they seem to be labeled "gluten free" by a reputable company, and are eaten at home with almost no chance of major cross contamination. (thanks for not fully labeling that, you irresponsible idjiots!)

After getting hammered (and I don't drink! 2 years in a row and missing going up to the mountains on an off day (fewer in the lift lines) with nice weather and a good snowpack, because I was knocked down hard enough to not be able to move or get out of bed, I don't look at New Year's Eve as any sort of "food" celebration. More like a minefield.

I have been having off and on reactions (not gluten, but definitely gut upsetting) since Thanksgiving, and this is going to drive me crazy soon if I don't track the culprits down... I've figured out some of it, but I need to figure out the rest of it. I think of holidays as "do something" potential rather than "eat something" activities.

_____

p.s. edited to add that there might be a bowl of homemade guacamole, made with home grown lemon or lime juice, but I'm not letting anyone else within 50 yards of it until I've pulled out my serving. I might eat it on celery.

[Juliebove]

I've never had fondue!

Every year I buy a can of black eyed peas. I love them! Daughter and husband do not. But I try to get them to eat just one because they are supposed to bring good luck.

I don't make any particular meal. Just something easy to do. Husband just watches football all day anyway. I try to have a lot of snacks and leftovers around.

Then just prior to midnight I pop popcorn and we go outside for the night. Or we have in the past. My neighbors set off tons of expensive fireworks and they can last until the wee hours. However... Some years it is raining or just too cold and windy. So if that's the case the festivities can last maybe only 20 minutes or so. And I just don't know in this economy. People may not be able to afford much.

[Ellie84]

We usually celebrate New Years Eve with our friends at our house. People show up somewhere in the afternoon to hang around, play a board game or read a book. Around 6 pm we have a dinner together, usually it's one or more varieties on "stamppot". This is a name for several Dutch dishes all consisting of potatoes mashed with a vegetable. You have carrot stamppot, kale stamppot, stamppot raw endives, and dozens more. Stamppot is traditionally accompanied by a smoked sausage called rookworst or meatballs.

On the day itself we bake oliebollen, these are flour dumplings filled with raisins which are deep-fried and then eaten with powdered sugar. I make them gluten-free of course, and people like them even more than the wheatflour-version. I'll post a recipe later on Oliebollen have a very interesting history. From wikipedia:

Oliebollen are a variety of dumpling made by using two spoons to scoop a certain amount of dough and dropping the dough into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. In this way, a sphere-shaped oliebol emerges.

The dough is made from flour, eggs, yeast, some salt, milk, baking powder and usually sultanas, currants, raisins and sometimes apple pieces and zest or succade. The dough needs time to rise for at least an hour. Oliebollen are usually served with powdered sugar, or brown sugar.

They are said to have been first eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands during the Yule, the period between December 26 and January 6. The Germanic goddess Perchta, together with evil spirits, would fly through the mid-winter sky. To appease these spirits, food was offered, much of which contained deep-fried dough. It was said Perchta would try to cut open the bellies of all she came across, but because of the fat in the oliebollen, her sword would slide off the body of whoever ate them.

During the evening we eat these oliebollen and other small snacks. During a celebration the table is filled with small snacks. Nuts, pieces of cheese and sausage, chopped fruit and vegetables, there's a lot to snack and people can pick anything they like.

At the end of the evening there is the traditional "oudejaarsconference", this is a special show from a cabaret artist. In this show he/she looks back at the year past and reflects on it humourously. At midnight there is a countdown, at 0.00 promptly we open a bottle of champagne or bubbly white wine. A lot of kisses and handshakes follow. Gelukkig nieuwjaar!

[love2travel]

We usually celebrate New Years Eve with our friends at our house. People show up somewhere in the afternoon to hang around, play a board game or read a book. Around 6 pm we have a dinner together, usually it's one or more varieties on "stamppot". This is a name for several Dutch dishes all consisting of potatoes mashed with a vegetable. You have carrot stamppot, kale stamppot, stamppot raw endives, and dozens more. Stamppot is traditionally accompanied by a smoked sausage called rookworst or meatballs.

On the day itself we bake oliebollen, these are flour dumplings filled with raisins which are deep-fried and then eaten with powdered sugar. I make them gluten-free of course, and people like them even more than the wheatflour-version. I'll post a recipe later on Oliebollen have a very interesting history. From wikipedia:

Oliebollen are a variety of dumpling made by using two spoons to scoop a certain amount of dough and dropping the dough into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. In this way, a sphere-shaped oliebol emerges.

The dough is made from flour, eggs, yeast, some salt, milk, baking powder and usually sultanas, currants, raisins and sometimes apple pieces and zest or succade. The dough needs time to rise for at least an hour. Oliebollen are usually served with powdered sugar, or brown sugar.

They are said to have been first eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands during the Yule, the period between December 26 and January 6. The Germanic goddess Perchta, together with evil spirits, would fly through the mid-winter sky. To appease these spirits, food was offered, much of which contained deep-fried dough. It was said Perchta would try to cut open the bellies of all she came across, but because of the fat in the oliebollen, her sword would slide off the body of whoever ate them.

During the evening we eat these oliebollen and other small snacks. During a celebration the table is filled with small snacks. Nuts, pieces of cheese and sausage, chopped fruit and vegetables, there's a lot to snack and people can pick anything they like.

At the end of the evening there is the traditional "oudejaarsconference", this is a special show from a cabaret artist. In this show he/she looks back at the year past and reflects on it humourously. At midnight there is a countdown, at 0.00 promptly we open a bottle of champagne or bubbly white wine. A lot of kisses and handshakes follow. Gelukkig nieuwjaar!

That is fascinating! Cultural foods enthrall me - I love to hear about what other cultures do. It sounds absolutely delicious!

[mbrookes]

We always have black-eyed peas (luck) and cabbage (money) on New Year's Day. Sometimes the peas are in Hopping John (peas, sausage and rice). Sometimes we have turnip greens instead of cabbage... I think any green leafy is good for getting money. Of course there is cornbread to go with everything.

Can't tell I'm in the Deep South, can you?

[pricklypear1971]

We always have black-eyed peas (luck) and cabbage (money) on New Year's Day. Sometimes the peas are in Hopping John (peas, sausage and rice). Sometimes we have turnip greens instead of cabbage... I think any green leafy is good for getting money. Of course there is cornbread to go with everything.

Can't tell I'm in the Deep South, can you?

Black eyed peas, ham and rice. With cornbread.

It's good hangover food, too.

I'd never get my son to eat the cabbage, and have to listen to the complaints from hubs about the gas...so I don't bother.

[Skylark]

Hoppin' john and collard greens. My version of hoppin' john is black-eyed peas and rice cooked with onions and a ham hock or fatback. I like to put in a can of tomatoes and some diced bell peppers. The greens are supposed to attract money, which is also green.

My ex-husband's family used to scrub and boil a handful of coins (to make them food-safe) and mix the money into the pot of hoppin' john just before it was served. You got to keep whatever money you found in your bowl and the more coins you found, the more money would come to you over the year.

[Diane-in-FL]

Black-eyed peas cooked with a ham hock here too!

[GFinDC]

Hoppin' john and collard greens. My version of hoppin' john is black-eyed peas and rice cooked with onions and a ham hock or fatback. I like to put in a can of tomatoes and some diced bell peppers. The greens are supposed to attract money, which is also green.

My ex-husband's family used to scrub and boil a handful of coins (to make them food-safe) and mix the money into the pot of hoppin' john just before it was served. You got to keep whatever money you found in your bowl and the more coins you found, the more money would come to you over the year.

Sauerkraut and pork, plus black eyed peas on the side or Hoppin-

John.

My Mom used to say you should put a silver dollar in the sauerkraut and cook it. When it goes in it is kind of dull but it comes out shiny due to the acid in the sauerkraut. Shiny like a new year!

Oh, and fireworks too, if there any around.

[silk]

Black eyed peas and Chex mix. Thanks to GM cereals for making this a tradition we can partake in once again!

[sa1937]

Normally for me, it's pork and sauerkraut. But since New Year's Day will be my youngest granddaughter's 13th birthday. I'll be going over there. While she had a gluteny cake last year, my DIL made gluten-free brownies for me, which my son actually prefers over regular brownies (even though he doesn't have celiac). And this year I can have ice cream! Woo hoo

[love2travel]

And this year I can have ice cream! Woo hoo

...and that is a huge accomplishment! Enjoy your ice cream!

[sa1937]

...and that is a huge accomplishment! Enjoy your ice cream!

I really don't eat much ice cream...it's just knowing that I can! Are you able to handle dairy now?

[love2travel]

I really don't eat much ice cream...it's just knowing that I can! Are you able to handle dairy now?

That is so true! Knowing you can in itself is reassuring.

I can have some aged cheeses but not milk or new cheese or ice cream. I was able to have all sorts of dairy in Italy and Croatia but am limited here. Hopefully that will change soon!

[Ellie84]

Most mature Dutch cheeses are very low in lactose as well. When a Dutch cheese ripens the lactose is broken down. If it's available in your country, ask for a Gouda cheese which has ripened at least 14-18 weeks.

[love2travel]

Most mature Dutch cheeses are very low in lactose as well. When a Dutch cheese ripens the lactose is broken down. If it's available in your country, ask for a Gouda cheese which has ripened at least 14-18 weeks.

Aged Gouda is one of the cheeses I can find in Canada, thankfully. Three hours away is a city where we go to do our food shopping and thankfully there are superb ethnic shops there. Usually I start salivating as soon as I enter the stores! Man, I love food shopping.

Surprisingly for the Canadian prairies, there is a local sheep cheese maker. She makes excellent fresh cheeses but also aged Pecorino. She also makes chorizo and other products all gluten free! Plus she sells their lamb - we have half a lamb on order, actually. Just thinking about it makes me hungry and I just ate breakfast!!

[dandt]

ugh I haven't even tried to find cheeses where I am in a regional part of AUstralia!!! I only just found xanthan gum and brown rice flour today. Lol.

[beebs]

We don't really do new years in terms of food (haha)

But we celebrate Christmas in a big way here, so since last year and not being able to eat any of the usual christmas cakes and puddings, I have started my own tradition of making a thing called meringue smash - its basically Meringue, berries, white chocolate, cream all smashed up together - sooo good!