I know this is a few days early, but it gives us time to plan if we want to try new recipes! Every area seems to have its own New Year's food and different cultures have special foods. Here in NM alot of people eat tamales or posole. My family is from the south so we always have black-eyed peas (I know, cattle feed to many in the North). I also like to fix Mexican cornbread (cornbread with onions, peppers and cheese added). It is so good! I can hardly wait. I freeze fresh black-eyed peas every summer and always save a couple of packages for New Years> What are you planning?

-- connie in NM (karrelandconnie@juno.com), December 29, 2000

Answers

Hopping-John and collards!

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), December 29, 2000.

Here in the low country of South Carolinia we have Hoppin John (Blackeyed peas and rice) with collard greens. They supposedly bring good luck for the New Year.

-- Tim Price (TimNCaseyPrice@aol.com), December 29, 2000.

Saur Kraut & pork,for good luck thru the New Year.Comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition,for me.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 29, 2000.

Around here its pickled pigs feet{i DO NOT go there} or pickled herring{sp}.Saurkraut is also a biggy

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), December 29, 2000.

Here in North Alabama, we do blackeye peas, collards and saltpork and hogjaw and we toast it with homemade wine (lynns favorite is a strawberry/apple mix with a touch of 7 up).

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

We have black eye peas,greens,hog jowl,corn bread,andpotatoe salad.And don't forget to take down christmas decorations before New Years to have good luck also!!!!

-- Sandy(FL.) (MANDARINHILLBILLYS@prodigy.net), December 29, 2000.

food????? with a hang over like that???? NO WAY

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 29, 2000.

What ever is left over from our church's watch-night service pitch in dinner!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), December 29, 2000.

Stan, If you want to make sure theres no cooking "the morning after" do what I did. My girlfriend at the time thought it would be nice to cook breakfast after an all nighter. I caught one wiff , went in the kitchen and shoved the hot skillet in the refridgerator and whispered "later" as I went back to bed. After that "breakfast" consisted of a tallboy, tomatoe juice and 3 asprin. Glad I dont tank like that any more.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

Most religions around here (Maine) demand a roast of beef and Yorkshire pudding! And home-grown mashed potatoes! (I must admit that Maggie mashes them - I have STILL not figured out how to GROW them that way!) Or at least mine does!(religion here). This assumes the Christmas turkey has been laid to rest! GL! and Happy New Year!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), December 29, 2000.

Blackeyed peas, pork ribs, collard greens and sweet potatoes. Mexican cornbread and iced tea. That's our traditional meal here in West Ga.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), December 29, 2000.

From my Italian heritage and neighborhood in NYC we always celebrate New Years with lasagna, meatballs, sausage and some pork or beef. Also have salad, fresh baked bread, trays of fruit and nuts and at least 4 kinds of desserts. By the way, Christmas and Easter are the same. We even had lasagna with out thanksgiving turkey. Guess we're in a rut but what a tasty one!! I was interested in the other responses. Being from up north I didn't realize that people really ate collards, black eyed peas etc with any enthusiasm. Never had the pig jowls but am a fan of pigs feet and ham hocks (Italians eat them too). Hope everyone enjoys the holiday

-- teresa (teresam@ascent.net), December 29, 2000.

We always have a fondue feast; just a tradition we made up ourselves years ago. One fondue pot of oil, one of cheese. We cook some stuff in oil, some dipped in cheese, some both. Dippers include beef, chicken,scallops,shrimp, wieners, french bread, and all kinds of veggies. Then we finish with chocolate fondue with fruit and cake dippers. Its very interactive, and fun.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

Blackeyed peas and rice, collards, and cornbread at my house. I lived in SC for several years and picked up the tradition there. I love'm with crushed red pepper flakes!

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

Hog jowls, blackeyed peas. Boiled cabbage with a quater boiled in it. Who ever gets the quater will have money all year! Hope I get the quater this year. We live in WV. My family tradition comes from Virginia.

-- Terri Perry (teperry@stargate.net), December 29, 2000.

Spell chech where are you? QUARTER.

-- Terri Perry (teperry@stargate.net), December 29, 2000.

HELP, I I caint cipher.

-- Terri Perry (teperry@stargate.net), December 29, 2000.

Terri, I *think* 'ciphering' has to do with arithmetic, not spelling!!

And I just realized that our family has no New Years Day traditions, so I will have to think about inventing some!! Thanks for the ideas!!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), December 30, 2000.

Hmm. Well, this would be leftovers from the night before(!): Oysters, clams, mussels, smoked duck, good soft cheeses, sourdough and other tasty breads, various hot pickled peppers, steak tartare, caviar, and any extra bottles of pinot grigio, chardonnay, or champagne.

Okay, we did one time LAST year! We thought we should have a lot of interesting foods (for some odd reason) to toast the New Year. :)

Usually it's a sampling of crackers, sausages, cheese, and microbrews...but the seafood part listed above is pretty traditional for the regional part! (As is the beer, I expect...maybe the aspirin too...)

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 30, 2000.

Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, I just plain refuse to cook or do anything but watch sports on New Years! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 30, 2000.

Bagna Caoda. Olive oil, butter, anchovies, garlic in a fondue pot. Dip whatever in it and drink some Asti Spumante. This year we used mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, french bread, artichoke. Carrots.

Got the idea from a BABALYON FIVE episode.

-- Dennis Virzi (den2007@swbell.net), December 31, 2000.