In Germany, and in general in Western Europe, the New Year is not as popular as Christmas. However, the Germans prepare this celebration with great care, like all others: with a table and love for details. Some welcome the new year with friends, others at home with family.
Talismans on the table
After deciding how and with whom to celebrate, the most important question is: with what? But the New Year’s table must necessarily have dishes that attract happiness and luck.
To those who promise health, love, prosperity, etc. Kozuna and lentil soup are also taken as “table talismans”, as they predict that the coming year will be peaceful and trouble-free. Also: roast pork or fish, which is a symbol of fertility and a happy future. In both Bulgaria and Germany, fish scales in the bag are believed to bring special luck.
Salt, salted herring or soup
Those who know how to deal with a hangover after a big party can also be considered lucky. One of the tips to cool down after a lot of drinks is to eat salted fish in the morning. Does it really help? Yes, and herring, as well as pickles. But there is a better way – soup, which is often served on New Year’s Eve in Germany.
It’s really about the wonderful healing soup that warms, invigorates and soothes at the same time. This isn’t the world’s newest discovery, but those who try New Year’s soup are less likely to wake up with a headache, experts say. The most important thing is: there are no restrictions on the ingredients of the soup, everyone can choose them. But there are undoubtedly favourites. Here are some of them:
Fortifying meat soup
This elixir for party night drinkers is made with mince or minced meat, and maybe sausage. Finely chopped peppers, corn kernels, beans, tomato puree or canned tomatoes, a little broth or water are added to the meat – the soup should be thick. It is cooked for several hours under a lid on low heat, then seasoned with salt and hot pepper. Finally, it can be refined with a spoonful of cognac, and it should already be served at the table with cream and toasted slices.
Soothing eggplant soup
Finely chopped eggplant and two cloves of garlic are fried, tomato puree and half a glass of red wine are added, then cooked under the lid for half an hour.
Vegetable soup works great, but needs to be consumed beforehand
Then meatballs are made with minced meat, an egg, two spoons of semolina, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. They are dropped into the boiling soup and left there for five minutes. Finally, the soup is seasoned with salt and pepper and served with black bread and hot sauce.
Energizing Beetroot Soup
To do this, beets, carrots, potatoes and onions must be cut into cubes and fried in oil. The vegetables are then poured with stock or water, and after boiling, crushed bay leaf, bay leaf, crushed nutmeg and turmeric are added.
The soup is cooked for about an hour, then pureed and seasoned with salt and pepper. And he’ll like a spoonful of cream.
Of course, hangover soup can be prepared in advance, as well as everything that decorates the New Year’s table. In this situation, the old year can be sent calmly and without unnecessary stress.
See also this photo gallery:
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On the table: truths and lies
bad coumarin
Cinnamon is still harmful! Coumarin, a substance in it, can damage the kidneys and liver. So: keep one thing in mind!
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On the table: truths and lies
Bad reputation of coffee
“Coffee causes cancer”, “Coffee damages the nerves”, “Coffee dehydrates the body” – the verdict has long been in place: coffee is harmful to your health. That was the longstanding claim. But today we know that coffee is not dangerous at all. The reverse is also true: scientists believe that coffee beans can prevent some cancers.
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On the table: truths and lies
In vino veritas?
Alcohol is harmful – that’s true, but at the same time, wine is known to contain some fantastic molecules that are particularly beneficial: resveratrol and anthocyanins, for example. And now what? To drink wine or not to drink? Long-term studies on volunteers provide an answer to this question: a glass of wine a day is fine. But no more!
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On the table: truths and lies
Butter vs margarine
Stay away from oil! This is what cholesterol fighters recommend. And they recommend margarine. True, this substitute contains less saturated fat than butter. But keep in mind that margarine is not necessarily healthy either. It is not a natural product. Let’s be clear: it’s chemistry messed up in food industry labs.
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On the table: truths and lies
Tasty garbage
Glutamate – no and no! The taste is considered dangerous. But not so much because of its ability to make low-quality foods like French fries and ready-made soups tasty, but because of the suggestion that glutamate causes what some scientists call “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”: sweating, tremors and tingling. So far, nothing serious. Research has not proven it.
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On the table: truths and lies
Frozen arguments
Many people avoid frozen foods. They seem to have less vitamins than the fresh ones. In fact, it is just the opposite. Because of the freezing, the vegetables in these foods are much richer in vitamins than the fresh products from the stores, which have sometimes traveled hundreds of miles.
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On the table: truths and lies
Omega-3 miracle
You have probably heard that Omega-3 fatty acids protect against various diseases: cancer, heart and cardiovascular diseases, concentration problems, depression. Health experts recommend that we take Omega-3 every day. And the truth is: it has been proven that these fatty acids are particularly useful for certain metabolic functions. But still: let’s not believe in miracles.
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On the table: truths and lies
Vitamins and science
Vitamins are essential. But do we need to drink them all the time to be healthy? We have known since childhood that vitamin C protects against various diseases. However, science has not yet proven this beyond doubt. There was also the suspicion that excessive use of vitamins harms the body. What will scientists say tomorrow?
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On the table: truths and lies
Is it worth buying organic food?
If our food is really as full of chemicals as we think, organic products are the only option to eat healthy every year. They are not soaked with harmful substances, they are not fertilized with artificial fertilizers. However, studies show that organic products are neither more nutritious nor more beneficial for health. Well, but they are more expensive.
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On the table: truths and lies
The golden mean
In short: yes, it is very important to live healthy. The statistics are ruthless: smoking, alcohol, obesity and inactivity are merciless killers. However, it is foolish to praise or curse individual foods. The golden ratio always goes through moderate use and good balance. So: be sweet and cheer up!
Author: B. Osterat
