Anyone (else) got their Pork and Sauerkraut on ??

I spent most of my life in NE Ohio and Minnesota, both places with a strong German and/or Pennsylvania Dutch population....As a result, our tradition, nay make that the tradition of everyone we know (until moving to Kentucky) is to eat Pork and Sauerkraut on New Years Eve/Day. Given what I'm told is large population of folks with Germantic heritage here in Louisville, I was surprised to learn that this is a tradition most people I've met here are unfamiliar with...aside from the expats from NE Ohio who work at Ford.

Anyone else got their Pork and Sauerkraut on yet ???

Here's a link to a nice article about the tradition.

http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/eat-your- ... t-1.103973

"Southerners eat black-eyed peas, Italians serve lentils, but in Northeast Ohio, the most popular way to ring in the new year is by smelling up the kitchen with a steaming pot of sauerkraut and pork.

There are plenty of reasons why sauerkraut and pork is considered the traditional New Year's dinner here. Most of them are tied to folklore or ethnic traditions — all of which claim that eating sauerkraut (or cabbage) and pork will bring good luck and prosperity in the new year."....

[Robin Garr]

Mary loves pork and sauerkraut, but I just asked her and she said she's never heard of it as a New Year's tradition. She's beans-and-greens all the way on New Year's Day.

Mary loves pork and sauerkraut, but I just asked her and she said she's never heard of it as a New Year's tradition. She's beans-and-greens all the way on New Year's Day.

My mom (who grew up near Asheville N.C.) recalls that "Beans and Greens" (or more accurately Black Eyed Peas and Turnip Greens) were the traditional New Years meal when she was growing up...Given our geographic location, I would suspect there are more than a few people in this (general) area that still follow that tradition.

As for the tradition of Pork and Sauerkraut, I would hazard a guess that right this minute there is -not- a VFW, American Legion, Moose Lodge, etc. anywhere in Ohio that is isn't preparing to ring in the New Year with a hundred or so guests, a cheap band, a bar full of Yuengling and a steam table full of Pork and Sauerkraut, mashed taters and soft rolls.

My husbands Told me his mother always made cabbage, beans and corn bread. I'm sure being at their house was a real gas My grandmother always said that having beans on New Years was good luck. She made brown soup beans in the crockpot with a big ham hock from Christmas. This year I'm making a big pot of vegetable beef soup with various beans in it.

My parents were both from Louisville, of German descent, but I grew up in Western KY. We always had black eyed peas and cabbage (for health and wealth, respectively), usually with country ham. Most people who were natives of Western KY had turnip?collard greens and would put coins in the greens. If you got a coin in your greens it meant something good (can't remember what!). Anyone familiar with this tradition?
Happy 2013 to all!!!

p.s. Just found this: Adding a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving is another tradition practiced by some. When served, the person whose bowl contains the penny or dime receives the best luck for the New Year, unless of course, the recipient swallows the coin, which would be a rather unlucky way to start off the year.

funny, my chef and i were talking about new year's day specials and i said 'we have to do something with black eyed peas' .. he said ' isn't there some pork and sauerkraut thing?' i guess there is.. and we will fire some up between 5 and 10 tomorrow night. h,n,y. and peace in 2013.. andrew

great article and recipe

My parents were both from Louisville, of German descent, but I grew up in Western KY. We always had black eyed peas and cabbage (for health and wealth, respectively), usually with country ham. Most people who were natives of Western KY had turnip?collard greens and would put coins in the greens. If you got a coin in your greens it meant something good (can't remember what!). Anyone familiar with this tradition?
Happy 2013 to all!!!

p.s. Just found this: Adding a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving is another tradition practiced by some. When served, the person whose bowl contains the penny or dime receives the best luck for the New Year, unless of course, the recipient swallows the coin, which would be a rather unlucky way to start off the year.

Yup, we always did black eyed peas and cabbage with a silver dime cooked in the cabbage. I still have the silver dime that my mom gave me for the holiday meal. 'Bout time I sent it to my daughter I guess.

Black eye peas and cabbage in our household growing up. My beautiful bride and I started our own NY Day tradition when we started out a couple decades ago: Hoppin' John is the 1st meal of the year.