Eating for good luck

2020 is one day old. How’s it treating you so far? My year got off to a rocky start, I think because I was so smug about being in bed asleep at midnight. I was in bed, all right, but I could not fall asleep—something that rarely happens to me. I hope it’s not an omen. Then this morning I unpacked my new remote keyboard but could not find the USB connector anywhere—I spent far too long sifting and sorting through packing materials, sure that I’d missed it because it’s so small. Finally I called Amazon and got instant help. The manufacturers are so clever these days—it was inside the battery compartment of the mouse. Who knew? Now it works fine.

But the day and the year got a lot better when I went to early afternoon dinner at the home of neighbors Mary and Joe. A lavish spread, starting with cheese and vegetables with dip and herring for appetizers. I can’t resist herring, but these were large pieces. Turns out they were rollmops—herring rolled around a pickle. Supposed to bring good luck for the year.

There had been some consternation about black-eyed peas in my family. When I first moved to Texas, I confronted the tradition of black-eyed peas and ham on New Year’s Day. I didn’t think I liked those peas—I was from the North, you know—but one year I found a recipe I thought my family would eat—Hoppin’ John. I’m sure you know, but just in case: it’s a stew of black-eyed peas, ham, rice, sometimes tomato. Today another guest had brought some, so I      got double good luck—rollmops and peas. Fast forward fifty-some years, and my family and I are just like most Texans—we want our black-eyed peas on January 1.

Many cultures have traditions about lucky foods you eat on New Year’s Day. The black-eyed peas are obviously from the American South, often served with collard greens. And some folks boil a silver dollar in with them—I think I draw the line at that. Another southern food eaten for luck is cornbread. Pork, or ham, is regarded as lucky in the South, as well as in many cultures.

Mary tells me that rollmops for luck were served in her childhood home, which was heavily influenced by German traditions and foods. In Spain, they eat grapes; in Italy, lentils. Some cultures consider round foods good luck, sort of as in “coming full circle.” Or maybe because they’re shaped like coins. In Japan, they eat soba noodles at midnight December 31 and call it toshi-koshi, “from one year to another.”

Today sumptuous dinner was the German dinner of Mary’s childhood: roast pork loin with gravy, applesauce, sauerkraut, tiny purple potatoes, peas and mushrooms, a butter lettuce salad, and multigrain bread. Dessert was crème brulee. If that menu is an omen of the year to come, I’ll take it gladly. Everything was absolutely delicious.

I am not used to that big a meal any time of day but especially not mid-afternoon. When I cam home, about 4:30, I was uncertain what to do with the rest of my day. So what I’ve done is nothing constructive—my ambition seemed to have fled. I’ve got to stop taking everything about today as an omen for the new year, because in general I’m enthusiastic about several projects on my desk for coming days.

I hope each and every one of you had a safe and sane New Year’s Eve, a happy day today with whatever you think brings you luck. Out with the old and in with the new—may you be happy the whole year through. And may we take back our country and heal the divisions that tear us apart.