外国人的新年美食

杨小玲

For many countries， January 1 offers an opportunity to forget the past and make a clean start. There are a variety of foods at New Year that are believed to bring good luck in the next year.

在众多国家，1月1日都是一个辞旧迎新的日子。人们相信在新年里有一些食物能给人们带来好运。

New Years revelers （狂欢者） in Spain consume （消耗） twelve grapes at midnight—one grape for each stroke （敲击） of the clock. Then each grape represents a different month， so if for instance the third grape is a bit sour （酸的）， March might be a rocky （多岩石的；坎坷的） month. For most， the goal is to swallow all the grapes before the last stroke of midnight.

西班牙人会在新年的夜晚吃掉12颗葡萄——每一粒葡萄就代表一个时辰。而后，这项传统演变为：一粒葡萄代表每年的一个月。所以，如果你吃到的第三粒葡萄有点酸，那么来年3月可能就不顺。不过最盛行的习俗，还是赶在午夜钟响以前把所有葡萄都吃掉！

Cooked greens， including cabbage， kale （甘蓝菜） and chard， are consumed at New Years in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money， and are thus symbolic of economic fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon， the Germans consume sauerkraut （cabbage） while in the southern United States， collards are one of the choices. Its widely believed that the more greens one eats the larger ones fortune next year.

诸如卷心菜、甘蓝菜和厚皮菜这样的绿色蔬菜也是很多国家的新年食品。人们吃它原因很简单：它们绿油油的叶子就像是钞票上的绿色，所以吃掉它们就表示来年财运不断。在丹麦，人们会吃炖甘蓝菜、配糖霜和桂皮；在德国，酸白菜是菜单之一；美国南方，羽衣甘蓝也是选择之一。大部分人都相信，吃掉这些绿色蔬菜，来年就财源滚滚啦！

Legumes including beans， peas， and lentils （小扁豆） are also symbolic of money. Their small， seedlike appearance resembles （像） coins that swell （膨胀） when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards （奖金） in mind. In Italy， its customary （习惯的） to eat sausages （香肠） and green lentils. Germans also partner （使……合作） legumes and pork， usually lentil or pea soup with sausage. In the Southern United States， its traditional to eat black-eyed peas （豇豆） in a dish called “Hopping John”. There are even those who believe in eating one pea for every day in the New Year makes people lucky in the coming year.

包括豆荚、豌豆和小扁豆在内的豆类也被视为是钱的象征。因为它们小小的豆粒看起来就像是硬币，煮过以后涨起来、吃下去就像得到钱一样。在意大利，人们用腊肠来配豆子吃；德国的传统搭配是豆类加猪肉，通常是扁豆汤和香肠。美国南方的传统是一道叫“希望约翰”的菜，里面有豇豆。甚至有人相信，在新年里每天吃一粒豆子都会给来年带来好运。

The custom of eating pork on New Years is based on the idea that pigs symbolize （象征） progress. Roast suckling pig （烤乳猪） is served for New Years in Cuba （古巴）， Spain， Portugal， Hungary （匈牙利）， and Austria. Different pork dishes such as pigs feet are enjoyed in Sweden while Germans feast on roast pork and sausages. Pork is also eaten in Italy and the United States， where thanks to its rich fat content， it signifies （意味着） wealth and prosperity （繁荣）.endprint

新年吃猪肉的传统是基于人们认为这种动物象征着进步。烤乳猪是古巴、西班牙、葡萄牙、匈牙利和奥地利的传统新年食品。奥地利人还会把杏仁甜饼做成小猪的样子来装饰餐桌。其他的猪肉大餐也在全球各地流行，比如瑞典人吃猪脚；而德国人吃烤猪肉和香肠。在意大利和美国，得益于猪肉丰富的脂肪，人们也把它作为财富的象征。

Fish is a very logical choice for the New Years table. Cod （鳕鱼） has been a popular feast food since the Middle Ages. Why？ Long before refrigeration and modern transportation （交通）， cod could be preserved （保存） and transported allowing it to reach the Mediterranean （地中海） and even as far as North Africa and the Caribbean （加勒比）. The Danish eat boiled cod， while in Italy， dried salt cod， is enjoyed from Christmas through New Years. Herring （鲱鱼）， another frequently preserved fish， is consumed at midnight in Poland and Germany. Germans also enjoy carp （鲤鱼） and have been known to place a few fish scales （鱼鳞） in their wallets for good luck.

鱼，是新年餐桌上理性选择。鳕鱼自中世纪起就是一种广受欢迎的节日食品。这是为什么呢？在现代制冷技术和运输手段发明以前，鳕鱼能够长时间不坏，并运送到地中海、甚至是南非、加勒比地区。丹麦人吃煮的鳕鱼；而在意大利，人们在圣诞节和新年吃盐渍的干鳕鱼。波兰人和德国人在新年晚上吃另一种常见的鱼类，鲱鱼。同时德国人还喜欢鲤鱼，并且相信在口袋里装一些鱼鳞会带来好运。

Cakes and other baked goods are commonly served from Christmas to New Years around the world， especially round or ring-shaped items. Italy has honey-drenched （浸上蜂蜜的） balls of pasta dough （面团） fried and dusted with powdered sugar.

Poland， Hungary， and the Netherlands also eat donuts （甜甜圈）， and Holland has puffy， donut-like pastries （炸面圈形状的点心） filled with apples and raisins （葡萄干）. In certain cultures， its customary to hide a coin inside the cake—the person who eat it will be lucky in the new year.

蛋糕和其他烘焙点心在全球各地都是圣诞到新年间的食物，尤其是圆形、或环形的点心。意大利人做一种用蜂蜜浸透的面团，炸过再撒上糖霜吃；波兰、匈牙利和荷兰人吃甜甜圈。荷兰人有种炸面圈形状的质地松软的点心，里面的馅儿有苹果和葡萄干。在某些文化里，还有把硬币塞进蛋糕里的传统，吃到的人来年会有好运气。

In addition to （除了……之外） the aforementioned （前面提到的） lucky foods， there are also a few to avoid. Lobster （龙虾）， for instance， is a bad idea because they move backwards and could therefore lead to setbacks （挫折）. Eating any winged fowl， such as chicken， is also discouraged， because good luck could fly away.

除了这些幸运食物之外，相对的，也有一些最好在新年避开的食物。比如龙虾，因为它总是倒着爬，在新年吃它象征将遇到挫折，这样可不好。还有传统警告我们要避开所有带翅膀的家禽，比如鸡，因为它们暗示着幸运会飞走。endprint