Ring in the New Year with Latino Traditions & Inspired Eats

(Featured Photo: Paul Wilkinson/Flickr Creative Commons)

By: Isabel Byfield

The New Year is just around the corner and Latinos are known for celebrating big – going non-stop from Christmas Eve until Día de Reyes, with delicious food at the heart of the celebration.

Traditionally, we meet with family around a Christmas dinner, but with lots more of booze. This includes the traditional champana or sparkling wine, as well as some regional favorites like the ponche – a Latino version of eggnog that is made with rum and the coquito, a Puerto Rican concoction of coconut, egg and rum.

Another Latino tradition is the “doce uvas” or twelve grapes that are eaten when the clock strikes midnight. This New Year’s Eve tradition originated in Spain and is one of profound importance in Latino culture. Each grape represents one of the twelve months of the year, and each one is supposed to have a specific purpose. If you follow the superstition, you’ll achieve all the goals you set for the New Year. I wouldn’t risk my fate for the New Year – so I eat my grapes religiously; one with each stroke of the clock at midnight.

However if family is not around for New Year’s, or you maybe you’ve decided to take a break from all the Thanksgiving and Christmas cooking, here a list of places in the Valley that offer special dinner menus to ring in the New Year in style; whether you want some casual or elaborate, we have a great list for you:

Keep it Casual:

Sierra Bonita Grill will offer two New Year’s Eve menus. One that includes traditional dishes such as prime rib with green chile mashed potatoes, and another that features jumbo scallops served with prosciutto and an organic salad. This is a perfect plan to celebrate as a family with some comfort dishes and great southern food.

Facebook Photo/Sierra Bonita Grill

Make it Festive:

If you plan a romantic escape for the New Year but don’t want to go too far, we have the perfect city destination for you. Carved into the McDowell Mountains, CopperWind resort is the perfect spot to celebrate with your loved one. At Flourish, the resort’s premier restaurant, they’re hosting a Great Gatsby inspired New Year Year’s Eve party where guest will enjoy a gourmet buffet, live music and lots of dancing. What a better way to kick start the New Year!

A Little Romance:

French is the love language and at Coup Des Tartes, where they’re offering a romantic four-course dinner menu. What better way to celebrate the New Year’s than with a fancy (and very romantic) dinner, just like French people know how to do? The menu is incredible and includes wild mushroom risotto, lobster bisque and sea bass, among their many choices to pick from on the special New Year’s Eve menu.

Facebook Photo/Coup Des Tartes