7 Lucky Foods to Eat in Georgia for the New Year
January 1, the official first day of the New Year, is believed to be the most celebrated day around the globe. In celebrating the birth of a new year, we are also celebrating new life and hope, and what better way to do so than with food! Foods have always been symbolic of new life and richness, and eating them on the first day of the New Year may just guarantee you a very Happy New Year! These seven foods are signature items to include in your New Year's Day feast, and these Georgia restaurants and markets take great pleasure in serving them.
Black-eyed Peas & Greens
Black-eyed peas are traditionally known for bringing you good luck in the New Year, and the Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta has been offering them up (and good luck) since 1947.
Greens — be they collard, kale, turnip, mustard or even cabbage — are considered a culinary necessity for money and good fortune. Try your greens cooked in classic Southern style at The Colonnade Restaurant in Atlanta.
Apples
Apples are symbolic of love and fertility. Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge is open year-round and offers apples in a delicious "drinkable" form: hard cider! It’s never too late to pick up a bottle and toast in the New Year.
Nuts (Peanuts & Pecans, of course!)
Eat a variety of nuts for great potential and endless possibilities in the year to come. Pick up boiled peanuts at Davis Produce in Savannah or one of many Georgia road-side or produce stands, and don't miss the pecans from Ellis Brothers Pecans in Vienna.
Noodles
Noodles for long life . . the longer the noodle the longer your life. Remember to slurp them whole, cutting them up means shortening your life! Raku (locations in Atlanta and Duluth) is my go to place for noodles. Their Tonkatsu Ramen Bowl should make me immortal.
Pork
Believe it or not, pigs are a symbol of progress because they continuously root forward. At Jim's Smokin' Que in Blairsville, please feel free to root your way through some of the best barbecue ribs and wings Georgia has to offer.
Cake
Cake – especially round cakes (often with coins baked inside) – can mean having come full circle and being ready to start anew. Let's be honest, it's hard to name just one place as having the best cakes in the state, but here's one that offers a HUGE variety to choose from: Piece Of Cake in Atlanta. Bonus: when you're in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, stop by their location in Terminal A to grab a sweet treat for the plane ride.
