The Pennsylvania Dutch tradition: Pork and sauerkraut for New Year’s
Our Pennsylvania Dutch tradition says pork and sauerkraut is the meal with which to ring in a new year, in order to bring good luck.
But did you know these New Year’s customs?
– Eating noodles at midnight is customary at Buddhist temples in Japan.
– In Spain, it is tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. Each grape signifies one month of the upcoming year. A sweet grape means the month will be good. A sour grape means the month will be bad.
– German folklore says that eating a herring at the stroke of midnight will bring luck for the next year.
– Hungarian culture says that eating chicken on New Year’s Day means you will be scratching for money the way a chicken scratches for food.
– In the South, black-eyed peas are said to bring good luck for the new year.
Commenter Joe has an interesting take on our tradition. He writes, “Looking ahead to New Years – despite being a life long York Countian, and part German I do not do the pork and sauerkraut… I may do pork but definitely not sauerkraut! Does this mean my York Countian card gets revoked?”
I’m in agreement, but what do you think? Pork and kraut a must-have? Or a must-avoid? If you do eat it, what’s your recipe or your favorite place to go out and get it?
