Cathy Isom has about some interesting superstitions about some of the foods we eat. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Superstitious Foods
Sure, we’ve all heard about garlic and how it wards off vampires. If you spill salt, toss some over your left shoulder with your right hand to ward off the devil. tossing rice at newlyweds will bring them wealth and happiness. And, finding a large hole in the middle of a freshly sliced loaf of bread means someone will die, because the whole represents a coffin.
There’s more. It’s supposedly bad luck to cut a banana with a knife. Or, at least back in the 18th Century, when fisherman had bad luck using bananas to catch fish.
Eggs symbolize fertility, so farmers would scatter broken eggs into their fields hoping they would bring forth an abundant crop. Also, if you break open an egg and find two yolks, that means someone you know will be getting married or having twins.
When it comes to jalapenos, never pass them to a friend. Doing so can put a strain on the friendship. You should put it on the table and let him or her pick it up.
And finally, eating Black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is believed to bring good luck and prosperity all year long.