A couple of years ago, we started "the grape tradition". Have you heard of it? Each person gets 12 grapes. When the clock starts to strike 12, you have to start gobbling your grapes. You need to (at least partially) chew each grape and be done with all of them by the time the final stroke rings out. It's not as easy as it sounds. A mixture of giggling and gagging never ceases to ensue. Especially from my daughter of the extreme-gag-reflex. But of course, she may be the biggest fan of the tradition! Each grape signifies a month (in order)... so, if your grapes are particularly sweet or sour, you should watch for particularly good or rocky months (the month corresponds with the number of the grape, as in the first grape you eat = January, etc...).
And then there is New Year's day. I almost always cook some variation on Hoppin' John. Since the black-eyed peas and the greens represent good fortune in the new year (coins and dollars), I wouldn't want to invite disaster by not making it... making them. This year I'm going for a casserole-style variation. Watch for it in the new year!
