Introducing New Year's dishes from various countries.

New Year's Day meals not only symbolize wishes for prosperity and abundance but also provide an opportunity for family members to gather and celebrate together, hoping for good things in the new year.

In Japan, although not as focused on the Lunar New Year as many of its Asian neighbors, the country still retains a remarkably unique culinary tradition. Osechi Ryori – the traditional meal in this country – has existed for over 1000 years and has become increasingly diverse over time, reflecting the prosperity and abundance of the family.

Every year on December 31st, Soba noodle shops in Japan are bustling with people coming together to enjoy the dish. According to tradition, Soba noodles, with their long, chewy yet easily bite-through texture, symbolize the end of bad luck from the old year and the welcoming of good fortune in the new year.

In France, the year-end party is incomplete without a turkey stuffed with chestnuts, a traditional symbol that has endured for centuries. Foie gras, seafood, meat, and wine are also important components of this lavish celebration.

For Italians, an indispensable dish on New Year's Eve is Cotechino con Lenticchie or Zampone con Lenticchie – a traditional dish of sausage and lentils. This combination symbolizes the wish for abundance and good fortune in the early days of the new year.

Without needing elaborate or fancy dishes, Spaniards often eat grapes to welcome the new year. On New Year's Eve, they will eat 12 grapes during the 12 chimes signaling the first 12 seconds of the new year, or sip on glasses of sweet, fragrant wine. They hope that each grape will bring good luck and happiness for a month in the new year.

In Russia, Olivier salad is an indispensable part of the New Year's meal, paired with various other dishes such as bread, salted red caviar, and champagne. Russians believe that the more elaborate the feast, the more prosperous the new year will be.

Meanwhile, in Hungary, people avoid eating poultry or winged creatures for fear that good fortune will fly away. They also avoid eating fish, crabs, or shrimp, believing that good luck will swim away with the fish they eat, and that seafood swimming sideways or backward will hinder their fortune.

Unlike Hungary, the traditional New Year's dish in Germany is carp. This traditional dish is considered lucky and wards off misfortune in the coming year. In addition, they prepare a large feast with various meats, cheeses, seasonal vegetables, and beer. Germans also celebrate the New Year with other dishes such as Pfannkuchen (fried pastries filled with jam), champagne, and various types of bread, all symbolizing the wish for bad luck to disappear and blessings to come in the coming year.

The Swiss traditionally celebrate the New Year with Fondue Chinoise. A small pot sits on the stove, containing tempting chunks of cheese. Diners can enjoy various toppings such as cold cuts, potatoes, tomatoes, salad, and ham on the table. They use skewers to dip these ingredients into the melted cheese, and then enjoy the dish with crispy toasted bread.

For Americans, the New Year's meal is often varied, featuring cabbage, sardines, honey, black-eyed peas, and, of course, bread – a symbol of abundance and warmth. In the Southern United States, Hoppin' John, made with black-eyed peas or string beans, is an indispensable part of the meal. This tradition dates back to the Civil War, when the town of Vicksburg (Mississippi) faced famine and its residents found black-eyed peas to survive, and since then, this type of bean has been considered lucky.

In Paraguay, people observe a "cold food festival" for the last five days of the year, during which they do not use fire and only eat cold or pre-prepared food. On January 1st, they turn on the fire to celebrate the new year, hoping for a prosperous and lucky year.

In Mexico, tamales are a popular dish to celebrate the New Year. Made from cornmeal, meat, fat, vegetables, and cheese, the tamales are wrapped in corn leaves and steamed for two hours. Additionally, menudo, a soup made from beef tripe or intestines stewed with onions, cilantro, oregano, and chilies for 7-10 hours, is also a popular New Year's dish in the country.

Ha Mai Trinh