外國人的新年美食

湖南省洞口縣茶鋪中學 楊小玲選譯

外國人的新年美食

湖南省洞口縣茶鋪中學 楊小玲選譯

Formany 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.

在眾多國家，1月1日都是一個辭舊迎新的日子。人們相信在新年里有一些食物能給人們帶來好運。

Grapes葡萄

New Year’s revelers(狂歡者)in Spain consume (消耗)twelve grapes atmidnight—one grape for each stroke(敲擊)of the clock.Then each grape represents a differentmonth,so if for instance the third grape is a bit sour(酸的),March might be a rocky(多巖石的；坎坷的)month.For most,the goal is to swallow all the grapes before the last stroke ofmidnight.

西班牙人會在新年的夜晚吃掉12顆葡萄——每一粒葡萄就代表一個時辰。而后，這項傳統演變為：一粒葡萄代表每年的一個月。所以，如果你吃到的第三粒葡萄有點酸，那么來年3月可能就不順。不過最盛行的習俗，還是趕在午夜鐘響以前把所有葡萄都吃掉！

Cooked Greens綠色蔬菜

Cooked greens,including cabbage,kale (甘藍菜) and chard,are consumed at New Year’s 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.It’swidely believed that themore greens one eats the larger one’s fortune next year.

諸如卷心菜、甘藍菜和厚皮菜這樣的綠色蔬菜也是很多國家的新年食品。人們吃它原因很簡單：它們綠油油的葉子就像是鈔票上的綠色，所以吃掉它們就表示來年財運不斷。在丹麥，人們會吃燉甘藍菜、配糖霜和桂皮；在德國，酸白菜是菜單之一；美國南方，羽衣甘藍也是選擇之一。大部分人都相信，吃掉這些綠色蔬菜，來年就財源滾滾啦！

Legum es豆類

Legumes including beans,peas,and lentils(小扁豆)are also symbolic of money.Their small,seedlike appearance resembles(像)coins that swell(膨脹)when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards(獎金)in mind.In Italy,it’s customary (習慣的)to eat sausages(香腸)and green lentils.Germans also partner (使……合作)legumes and pork,usually lentil or pea soup with sausage.In the Southern United States,it’s 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.

包括豆莢、豌豆和小扁豆在內的豆類也被視為是錢的象征。因為它們小小的豆粒看起來就像是硬幣，煮過以后漲起來、吃下去就像得到錢一樣。在意大利，人們用臘腸來配豆子吃；德國的傳統搭配是豆類加豬肉，通常是扁豆湯和香腸。美國南方的傳統是一道叫“希望約翰”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會給來年帶來好運。

Pork豬肉

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

新年吃豬肉的傳統是基于人們認為這種動物象征著進步。烤乳豬是古巴、西班牙、葡萄牙、匈牙利和奧地利的傳統新年食品。奧地利人還會把杏仁甜餅做成小豬的樣子來裝飾餐桌。其他的豬肉大餐也在全球各地流行，比如瑞典人吃豬腳；而德國人吃烤豬肉和香腸。在意大利和美國，得益于豬肉豐富的脂肪，人們也把它作為財富的象征。

Fish魚

Fish is a very logical choice for the New Year’s table.Cod (鱈魚)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 Year’s.Herring(鯡魚),another frequently preserved fish,is consumed atmidnight in Poland and Germany.Germans also enjoy carp (鯉魚)and have been known to place a few fish scales (魚鱗)in their wallets for good luck.

魚，是新年餐桌上理性選擇。鱈魚自中世紀起就是一種廣受歡迎的節日食品。這是為什么呢？在現代制冷技術和運輸手段發明以前，鱈魚能夠長時間不壞，并運送到地中海、甚至是南非、加勒比地區。丹麥人吃煮的鱈魚；而在意大利，人們在圣誕節和新年吃鹽漬的干鱈魚。波蘭人和德國人在新年晚上吃另一種常見的魚類，鯡魚。同時德國人還喜歡鯉魚，并且相信在口袋里裝一些魚鱗會帶來好運。

Baked Goods烘焙點心

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

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

蛋糕和其他烘焙點心在全球各地都是圣誕到新年間的食物，尤其是圓形、或環形的點心。意大利人做一種用蜂蜜浸透的面團，炸過再撒上糖霜吃；波蘭、匈牙利和荷蘭人吃甜甜圈。荷蘭人有種炸面圈形狀的質地松軟的點心，里面的餡兒有蘋果和葡萄干。在某些文化里，還有把硬幣塞進蛋糕里的傳統，吃到的人來年會有好運氣。

W hat Not to Eat有什么不能吃？

In addition to (除 了 …… 之 外 )the aforementioned (前面提到的)lucky foods,there are also a few to avoid.Lobster(龍蝦),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.

除了這些幸運食物之外，相對的，也有一些最好在新年避開的食物。比如龍蝦，因為它總是倒著爬，在新年吃它象征將遇到挫折，這樣可不好。還有傳統警告我們要避開所有帶翅膀的家禽，比如雞，因為它們暗示著幸運會飛走。