Wassail, Pigs, and a Fresh Start:
How to Kick Off the New Year Right
Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand'ring
So fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too;
And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year
And God send you a Happy New Year.
— ‘Here We Come A-Wassailing’, traditional folk tune
When I think of New Year’s Day, I think of the song Here We Come A-Wassailing. If you’ve ever had the joy of watching the 1994 movie production of Little Women, you know the song I mean — the tune the girls sing as they come merrily down the lane before intersecting with the wealthy Lawrence gentlemen.
It’s a joyful sounding song amidst the typical minor-keyed Christmas tunes of the Dickensian era. A bright light in the darkness, if you will. And it makes me think that perhaps I need to pull out my cooking pot and brew up some wassail of my own.
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Wassail is traditionally a hot mulled drink spiced with sugar, fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sometimes ginger or Cloves. Different versions have mulled wine, cider, or fruit juice.
Regardless of variety, the ingredients are all heated together until the flavors blend into an enticing summary of the season’s spices. It’s a nice alternative to the typical hot beverages due to its depth of flavor and festive scent.
Below is our family recipe for Wassail using juice or non-alcoholic cider, oranges with Cloves, and cinnamon sticks. You'll also see a tip below for trying pre-measured mulling spices instead: an easy way to add flavor!
Family Wassail
Ingredients:
2 quarts apple juice or cider
1 pint cranberry juice
1 small orange, cut into sections (eighths), with 1 clove put in each of 3 sections.
1/2 cup sugar, optional (less if your juices have high sugar content. Up to 3/4 cup for those with sweet tooth.)
2 sticks of cinnamon
Ingredients:
Sugar is optional, to your preference.
Orange slices with 3 cloves
Instructions:
In a large pot, mix juice, sugar, and cinnamon sticks.
2. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
3. Add orange sections with cloves.
4. Simmer for 1 hour or longer.
Simmer for 1 hour or longer
5. Remove oranges and cinnamon sticks, and serve.
Don't forget the cardinal rule of cooking – don't walk away from the stove! It's tempting with these long simmers, but enjoy hanging out in the kitchen with the scents of the holiday.
TIP: If pre-measured spices are more your bag, you can use ready-made mulling spice mix like from a spice vendor such as The Spice House in Chicago. They add all-spice and mace to the mix for depth of flavor. The spice comes with directions for mulled cider, and you can buy the cloth spice holder bags as well. I became affiliated with this company, as I am a fan after purchasing numerous of their products for my personal use.
So test both versions out and play with flavor combinations!
Pork & Sauerkraut: New Year’s, Pennsylvania German style!
An important (and I mean VERY IMPORTANT, where I’m from) aspect of New Year’s Day is the holiday meal. In Pennsylvania Dutch areas (also called Pennsylvania German), this traditionally means one thing: pork and sauerkraut.
Many people change it up by adding in other holiday traditions such as black eyed peas, or vegan-friendly options, which is awesome. If you do desire to try out a traditional meatfest though, please consider trying the pork and sauerkraut: the dynamic duo for a fresh start to the calendar year.
Sauerkraut, made from pickled and fermented cabbage.
The tradition states that pigs root forward on the ground, representing moving on into the new year. The sauerkraut is green cabbage before cooking and pickling, representing money and a prosperous time ahead.
Crossing the border into superstition, it's perfectly acceptable in PA Dutch country to ask someone “did you have your pork and sauerkraut this year?” After all, it's in our best collective interest to allow an iconic savory yet tangy combination help to put 2021 behind us.
Festive Combinations
Growing up, we traditionally spent New Year’s Day with family in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. My Grandmother on this side was a strong subscriber to the traditional “Seven sweets and seven sours” method of meal presentation that gained popularity in the 1950’s. This method balances foods of a meal (main dish, sides, desserts) between sweet and sour.
Some say the tradition began as a marketing ploy by the restaurants opening up in the mid 1900's. Others say it is simply an extension of traditional farm table habits of the previous centuries. Either way, Grandma's table was stocked. The sweet and sour flavors come from two great romances among many Central Pennsylvania descendants — we love vinegar and we love sugar.
What makes Amish-style macaroni salad so good? Why, extra vinegar and extra sugar of course. What’s the best vegetable to start the new year? Pickled cabbage. What do we bring to picnics that get us funny looks anywhere outside of Central Pennsylvania? Pickled red beet eggs. All doused in the Mother of All Flavors: vinegar.
Vinegar is everywhere, from our cooking to baking to you name it. So let's celebrate the flavor today – maybe not necessarily with seven sweets and seven sours, but whatever floats your holiday boat.
One of my next posts will explore all the many uses in and out of the Kitchen for white vinegar, as well as laundry tips galore. So stay tuned!
There you have it!
The new year is beginning and it’s time for a fresh start, so let’s kick it off right! Happy New Year to you all!
*Please note that the ingredient photos shown are for illustrative purposes only. The only company shown/mentioned that I have affiliation with is The Spice House, and my post is not endorsed by any manufacturers. All trademarked items belong to their respective owners.