When I was a kid back in the 1950s, my mother served lentil soup every New Year’s Eve. Since I preferred chicken noodle, vegetable beef and cream of tomato, I would scrunch up my face and force down a couple of spoonfuls, but I thought lentils dull and tasteless.
Years later, I became student of folklore and a fan of the blues. As a habitué of the world-famous Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, where they served free bowls of red beans and rice at the stroke of midnight every New Year’s Eve.
Why beans?
In a word, legumes — including lentils — are lucky.
For 150 years African-Americans from the Southern U.S. have celebrated the New Year by consuming black-eyed peas cooked along with hog jowls or ham. This dish, called “hoppin’ john,” is routinely served along with collard greens. Black-eyed peas and other legumes including red beans, black beans, lentils and garbanzo beans have long been considered good luck in many cultures.
While the round black-eyed peas resemble silver coins and red beans look like copper coins, the greens resemble paper money. Eating these dishes on the year’s first day should assure that your pockets overflow with cash throughout the next 12 months.
The well-fed hog and its meat is also symbolizes prosperity. And the greasy pork also makes the beans taste really good!
While sympathetic magic deems beans bring good fortune, nutritionists say they’re truly good for you. Legumes are invariably high in protein and fiber and low in fat.
Anyhow, several local venues are hosting holiday soirees this Saturday night as 2016 rolls into 2017. Pick your party and prepare to pucker up at the witching hour.
Chill out at Uriah’s
Uriah’s Restaurant opened in early October at 7990 Oswego Road (Route 57), but it will celebrate its grand opening with its New Year’s Eve Extravaganza featuring live music by Salt City Chill, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The rockin’ quintet showcases the talents of five longtime local musicians — Chuck Schiele on guitar, Phil Smith on drums, John Dancks on bass, Rhys Brigida on keyboards, and the legendary Todd Hobin on guitar.
Hobin, Brigida and Schiele share the vocal duties as the Chill covers everyone from Three Dog Night to the Jackson 5, from Talking Heads to Little Feat, from The Eagles to The Beatles.
“We offer something familiar in a fresh way,” Schiele said. “This is a band that understands that the point of music is to have fun.”
For more info, visit uriahsplace.com, or call the restaurant at 622-2250.
Rock into a New Year
Two rockin’ groups will entertain at the Blue Spruce Lounge at the Maplewood, 400 Seventh North St. Frank & Burns, the duo featuring guitarist Frank Malfa and singer Mike Burns, will perform from 8 p.m. to midnight in the bar.
Infinity will plug in at 9 p.m. in the banquet room. The furious fivesome — vocalist Rick Wilson keyboardist Jamie Colucci drummer Mike York, bassist Dave Impellizzeri and guitarist Manny Hoffman — will cover songs by artists such as Journey, Loverboy, REO Speedwagon, Styx and Foreigner.
Reservations are required. The $349 per couple package includes an overnight stay, hot breakfast and late check-out; bluesprucelounge.com; 451-1511.
Meanwhile, up at 916 Riverside, at 916 County Route 37, in Brewerton, guests will enjoy a $45 prime rib buffet and live music by American Eagle band starting at 8:30 p.m.; 668-3434; 916Riverside.com.
Glow in the dark!
One of our favorite oldies acts, The Other Guise featuring Sammys Hall of Famer Jan Fetterly, will ring in the New Year from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Western Ranch Motor Lodge, 1255 State Fair Blvd. The Ranch is offering a special room rate that night, $62 plus tax; westernranchmotorlodge.com; 457-9236.
Sharkey’s Bar & Grille, 7240 Oswego Road, promises “two floors, two parties, one price,” for Dec. 31. Admission costs $10; 214-4116.
Revelers will try to stay out of the gutter as they partake of glow-in-the-dark bowling at Flamingo Bowl, 7239 Oswego Road, from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. A DJ will spin tunes and a hot and cold buffet will be served for $32.95 per person (each lane $90 minimum); 457-7470; flamingobowlcny.com.
Country chic
The New Year’s Eve party package at the Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool and Staybridge Suites will feature live country music from T.J. Sacco and the Custom Taylor Band. The package includes overnight accommodations for two, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, dinner buffet, late night snack and brunch on New Year’s Day from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Suggested attire is semi-formal “country chic.”
The shebang is set at the Holiday Inn at 441 Electronics Parkway. Packages cost $349 per couple at the Holiday Inn or $359 at Staybridge Suites; 457-1122.
Contact the columnist at [email protected].
