Michelle 7Lucky New Year's Foods
December 31st 2007 10:32
The official beverage of good luck
Seems like just about every culture's got some kind of tradition of lucky foods to start the new year (whenever that may be) off right-and I'm just superstitious enough to figure I need all the extra luck I can get. One tradition I could live with is that of eating anything shaped like a circle, such as, you know, the donut-popular New Year's food in The Netherlands. Mmmmm, fat and cholesterol, begin as you mean to go on. I'm not too crazy about black-eyed peas, I can really take them or leave them. And what's up with eating cabbage for luck? Since when does gassy=lucky? Thanks, I'll pass. Pork is good, pancakes also good, herring...maybe. Sauerkraut (more cabbage!)-blecccchhhh. Unless it was on top of a hotdog purchased from a street vendor-are hotdog carts out on New Year's Day?
Noodles (for longevity) are eaten at Japanese New Year (Jan. 1) as well as on the Lunar New Year which is coming up on Feb. 7, I believe. Grapes are cool, if a bit out of season - these are supposed to be eaten at the stroke of midnight in Spain and certain Latin American countries, one for each stroke, but who has a clock that strikes the hour anymore? Watching the numbers roll over on the digital clock on some appliance or other (assuming you remembered to reset it after the last power outage or blown fuse) is more like it, and I for one am not going to start off the year with a choking fit brought on by trying to cram 12 grapes into my mouth at once. Unless they're those tiny champagne grapes, maybe, although it's safer, perhaps, just to stick with the juice (in its fermented state, of course).
My favorite lucky food is one I kind of decided on myself, though. Since a number of cultures regard honey as lucky (symbolizing the sweetness of life) and others regard almonds as lucky (symbolizing I don't know what), I decided the ultimate luck food would be something combining the two - torrone! This was, to some extent, a matter of expedience-in my family we always have a ton of this Italian nougat candy around at Christmas. Even if we do manage to eat it all before the new year, though, it's not too hard to make. If you can't get to an Italian grocery but you'd like some tastier luck than that herring/sauerkraut surprise, you can try the following recipe:
TORRONE
The store bought kind
TORRONE
* 1 c. honey
* 3 c. granulated sugar
* 3 egg whites
* 1/2 c. powdered sugar
* 2 cups shelled, blanched almonds, roughly chopped
* 1/3 c. cornstarch
Combine honey and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until it begins to simmer (about 4 minutes). Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 315°, then remove it from the heat. Stir it for a minute or two until the temperature drops to 300°.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. With the still mixer running, slowly pour the honey mixture into egg-white mixture. Beat until mixture thickens and begins to stick to beaters, then fold in the almonds.
Pour the mixture onto a clean surface over which you've sprinkled the cornstarch, then knead it 4-5 times. Stretch and roll the torrone until it forms a rectangle about 9"x13". Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper or waxed paper, which you can lightly grease or butter, then place the torrone in the pan. Let it cool on a wire rack. Cut into slices while still warm, using a serrated knife. Store the pieces in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
If you like, you can substitute hazelnuts or pistachios for all or part of the almonds-I'm sure these nuts must be lucky, too. There's even a chocolate version of torrone which I have yet to try, but I certainly hope to do so soon. Then I'll feel very lucky, indeed! (As in, I'll be lucky if my son leaves me a piece.)
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