New Year's Eve Chili

That is my most requested dish and in the last few years a New Year's Eve tradition.When my sister moved to Australia she asked for two recipes,my chili and brownies.What do you make for New Year's Eve?

hattyn wrote:What do you make for New Year's Eve?

For many years, each person would eat 12 grapes dipped in honey, one on each stroke of the clock at midnight, a tradition introduced from the Mexican branch of my family.

After a near-disaster when somone who was unable to eat grapes that fast choked and gagged their way into the New Year, we loosened the rules so now you can eat them as slowly as you want and even place the grapes in the mouth of a loved one.

For the past several years, I've added a twist: everyone gets a plate of 12 grapes and 12 of something more exotic which changes every year. Last year, I made little thumb-sized spring rolls. The year before that I made little beggar purses - tiny crepes filled with crab meat and tied up with a chive. This year I'm going to make Olie Bollen which are little dutch fried donuts - so that coming year is especially sweet!

Bill/SFNM

We have a long standing tradition in our house to have a feast of king crab legs on new years day.

It has been nearly a decade since I last ventured out of the house on New Year's Eve, and that was in Bang Saray Thailand (wonderful bu pat phom kari and goong ten; way too much Mekhong to drink). Now I avoid the amateur revellers and observe a tested ritual at home: gather together several kinds of snacks, including roasted nuts and excellent pretzels; with mathematical rigor and simplicity, consume the snacks along with some number n pints of Guinness, where n>5 and n is prime. Then, struggle to resist leaning my head against Morpheus's shoulder (well, Hypnos, really, but any of the Oneiroi will do) until at least 11:59 (p.m., that is).

Then, as Frank Zappa said, "Turn on the bubble machine."

My family tradition is actually a New Years Day one rather than a new years eve one. It runs deep in my southern roots.

The New years Day meal consist of ham for good health, greens for good wealth and hoppin' john for good luck in the coming year.

Hoppin John is a dish for which you will find many variations in the deep south. Many folks served stewed black eyed peas over rice and refer to the dish as Hoppin' John. The dish that I grew up eating originated among the plantation slaves pre-Civil Warand survives uin many low country kitchens to this day. It is a steamed concoction of white rice, cow peas and fatty hog jowl. It is rich and satisfying in its own right. I cannot remember us eating it any other day of the year than New Years.

Moulard duck breasts from dartagnan grilled on the weber, a 4 year tradition. Dartagnan sells a 1.5-2 pound double breast from their foie gras ducks for 18 bucks. they ship them fresh, overnight. To get free shipping, you have to spend $250, so i freeze the extras. I figure that the ducks are force-fed for the livers, not the breasts, so my conscience is clean. I grill them to rare/med-rare, and burn off about half the fat, making the skin very crispy. The only downside is the weather....a couple of years ago I had to shovel a path through the 16 inch snow to get to the grill. Perhaps a little caviar (american paddlefish) for an appetizer if i am feeling flush.
-Will