FOCUS ON FOOD

What should naturally follow The Twelve Days of Christmas? The Twelve Grapes of New Year’s, of course. What sounds like a silly social media fad is actually an Old World Spanish custom which is, for better or for worse, rooted in tradition — though the origin isn’t entirely clear.

The ritual of las doce uvas de la suerte — or “the twelve grapes of luck” — entails eating one grape with each strike of the bell that rings in the New Year. The objective is to finish all your grapes before the chiming ends. It sounds easy enough but, depending on your level of soberness, can be a bit of a choking hazard. Each grape represents one month of the year to come. Those who finish their grapes in time are believed to have greatly enhanced their chances of good luck in the New Year.

Back to the risky business of stuffing your mouth full of grapes in under 30 seconds: While the grapes have to be fresh (some claim that cunning Alicantese winemakers started this ritual to sell an abundance of grapes), the fruit may be baked. So, keep the raisins in the pantry but do roast your grapes in the oven and enjoy jammy, sweet and warming grapes that will softly burst on your tongue and aren’t likely to clog your airways just minutes into 2025.

Or you could part with superstition entirely and relish your food in a, shall we say, more dignified and civilized manner. Serve roasted grapes with soft cheese and fresh baguette and savor every bite — no better luck to be had and projected forward than sharing delectable food with family and friends, unhurriedly, as you slide into the New Year.