There are as many traditional New Year's meals as there are cultures in the world, and these dishes are all eaten with the belief that they'll promote prosperity, life, and luck. While I am slightly distressed by the very popular and very literal tradition of burying coins in cakes and stews to invoke wealth (money is so dirty), I do love that on New Year's Day food does even more than nourish people—it becomes the repository for hopes and dreams.

In Spain and Portugal, as well as countries throughout Latin and South America, 12 grapes are eaten at midnight, each symbolizing one month of the year (sour grape equals bad month, sweet grape equals good month). The wacky Swiss, God bless them, throw sweet whipped cream on the floor to represent surplus wealth.

The Pennsylvania Dutch eat pork and sauerkraut, which is an extremely satisfying dish to cook up at home, but if you'd rather eat out, I recommend heading to Prost! (7311 Greenwood Ave N, 706-5430). And if you don't feel like cooking up a pot of Hoppin' John, a Southern casserole of rice and black-eyed peas that's thought to bring good luck, head to the Kingfish Cafe (602 19th Ave E, 320-8757) for their Hoppin' John Griddlecakes (vegetarian friendly!). Northern Italians eat pork sausage over lentils—the sausage, rich with fat, symbolizes abundance while the green lentils represent money. You can try and get rich via the house-made sausage served over lentils at Quinn's (1001 E Pike St, 325-7711).