Superstition and food: you don’t know these 7 habits yet
Do you always throw salt over your shoulder when you’ve spilled some? Do you scatter rice when people get married? Do you read your future in tea leaves or coffee bubbles? Ha, caught you: you’re superstitious too. These 7 examples of superstition all have to do with food.
Salt over your shoulder
If you spill a little salt, you sprinkle a pinch over your shoulder. Why? This superstition is said to come from Leonardo da Vinci. In his painting of the Last Supper, you can see that Judas has spilled some salt. And we all know how that ended… It could all have been prevented if someone at the table had sprinkled a little salt over their shoulder. Because apparently the devil is behind you, and you throw that salt into his eyes. Not today Satan!
Scattering rice
The newlywed couple comes out of the church and everyone scatters rice over them. That rice has symbolized fertility and prosperity since the late Middle Ages. In ancient Rome, grains were thrown at the bridal couple; in India, they are showered with flower petals; and in Italy, sweets and nuts are tossed. By the way, uncooked rice isn’t very good for pigeons and other birds that pick it up, so scatter something else instead (birdseed?) or sweep up the rice and throw it away, because you don’t want a pigeon with stomach cramps near your convertible wedding car.
Good luck with apples
Adam and Eve were banished from paradise by eating an apple, and Snow White fell asleep after taking a bite of a poisoned apple. An innocent little red, juicy apple isn’t so innocent after all. An old superstition says that if a woman cuts an apple in half and counts the seeds in the core, she knows how many children she will have. In ancient Rome, an apple core was used to check whether your love was requited: you throw the core into the fire while saying your beloved’s name. If the seeds pop, it’s true love.
Money money
According to the Finns, you can tell from the bubbles on your coffee how much money you’re going to earn: more bubbles, more money. If the bubbles float toward you, that’s especially positive: the money will come to you on its own. If the bubbles instead drift away from you, you’ll quickly lose your wealth again.
Red belly, ugly face
According to people in Iceland, you shouldn’t drink your coffee too hot, because it will make you ugly. Strange, because in the Netherlands we’re always warned not to let our coffee get cold, because that will make you very beautiful—after you die. And children who drink coffee get red hair, or a red belly.
Tea with… milk
If you put milk in your tea first and then add sugar, half of France will be up in arms: it brings terrible bad luck! And you mustn’t have different people pour the tea either. No, appoint one person to do it, because otherwise you’ll bring misfortune upon the entire group present.
Candlelight
No idea who would want to eat in pitch darkness, but according to superstition in Uganda, you should always turn on a light when serving a meal. Because if you eat in the dark, you’re sharing your food with… ghosts and demons.
Read also:
- On sale today only: bread that protects against rabies
- Doctor says: eating less salt is unnecessary
- Why you should never order coffee or tea on a plane
Source: Chef’s Pencil
