Hi all! Supper Club editor Jenni here, filling in for Sam as she’s on vacation with her family this week.
Nearing the end of the year, I’m savoring the last of the holiday lights and sentiment (while still looking forward to my kids returning to school, because, ahem, the volume in my house cannot continue!) I also get a little nostalgic, and think back to New Year’s celebrations. Growing up I would celebrate Oshogatsu, or Japanese New Year, with my dad’s siblings and cousins and second cousins and second cousins once-removed — it was a full house with football on TV and we’d all eat a ton of sushi, sashimi, and mochi. Since I’m 4th generation and half-Japanese, some foods I would eat not knowing exactly what they were, just that my auntie handed me a plate and told me to eat “for good luck!”
Soba noodles always were a staple, and it was only as an adult I discovered that traditionally you eat these on New Year’s Eve to cross over into the new year. The length of the noodles represents longevity, or wishes for a long life — a common belief across many Asian cultures. This year, I’m breaking with tradition a bit and making Parmesan Umami Noodles with my family for our New Year’s Eve celebration. The zip of the miso paste combined with the mushrooms reminds me of some Japanese flavors, but the addition of the cheese makes these noodles so savory and slurpable (even my mushroom-hating son eats two bowls, so that’s saying something.) I recommend making a double batch, and then having the leftovers while sprawled on the couch watching the Rose Parade :)
