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On New Year’s Day, we invited several friends for brunch at our apartment in NYC. Several bottles of prosecco were consumed, lucky marzipan pigs (brought back from Germany) were distributed, and we all participated in bleigeissen.
Bleigeissen (lead pouring) is a New Year’s custom in Germany and Austria. Little metal lucky shapes are passed around, and each person melts their shape in a little metal cup over a candle flame. When the shape has liquified, it is quickly dumped into a bowl of cold water, where it takes on a new form altogether.
Predicting the Future
The guest picks the now cold piece of metal out of the water. Then they interpret what the new shape looks like to them (insect, heart, baby, etc). Match the shape to a key of explanations that comes with the game. This indicates to the person something that will happen in the upcoming year. A flower means new friendship, a fish means new happiness, etc.
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| Guests eagerly await their lead futures. Of course, my camera is permanently set on macro mode, so the only picture I have of the brunch is blurry. |
It is fun to watch a group of jaded New Yorkers participate. Lots of laughs and twisted jokes and, of course, crude sexual interpretations all around. There was also food, of course. Homemade käse spätzle, a large organic chicken salad, and apricot sage whole wheat biscuits. As well as fresh bagels, homemade cream cheese spreads, New Year’s cookies, and espresso chocolate macarons.
The Roasted Carrot Pistachio Spread was made for the appetizer. The hummus version is so thick that it is perfect for a spread. So I kept the chickpeas and tahini, adding pistachios for another level of flavor. A gorgeous, wonderful combination. After I bought the carrots at the Union Square farmer’s market, I spied another stall selling these delicious Finnish dark bread rounds. They worked perfectly with the spread.
Roasted Carrot Pistachio Spread
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots
- Olive oil for coating carrots
- Kosher salt for sprinkling over carrots before roasting
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup chopped un-roasted unsalted pistachios
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Line a baking sheet with foil.
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Chop carrots and spread them out on a baking sheet.
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Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
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Roast 30 minutes or until soft.
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In the meantime, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
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Rub the chickpeas to remove the transparent shell.
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Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine, then process on high until a thick paste is formed.
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Serve with crackers or bread.
So, do you like this Roasted Carrot Pistachio Spread? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:
PUMPKIN SESAME GOCHUJANG SOUP
CREAMY CARROT SAUERKRAUT
CARROT HAZELNUT CAKE WITH BLACK TEA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
10 comments
YOU are such a treasure! I haven't thought of Bleigeissen is a million years!
Thank you for this (another) wonderful trip down fond memory lane!
Mmmm delicious spread! Sounds like a wonderful New Year game.
That game sounds like great fun and your spread demands to be tried. I like the unusual and I find the recipe intriguing. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary.
Lora…what a GREAT celebration! The spread looks fabulous and I bet the carrots add a hint of sweetness, too! And what could be better than prosecco and marzipan pigs! : )
oh I love that tradition! And this spread is something new to me, but looks soo gorgeous!
Looks like a great New Year's party! I loved reading about your traditions.
That looks fan-tab-u-lous, and I also would really love to see your käse spätzle, which is something I ADORE!!
Oh fun! That sounds like an awesome party game…I'm gonna have to break it out next year. Along with the hummus. All you had to say was pistachio and I was in.
What an amazing custom with the metal shapes. Sounds hot stuff! Love the look of this spread with such an interesting combo. Bet it would also make a fabulous macaron 🙂 Warum nicht?
Fun brunch! And this spread sounds intriguing and delicious! What a wonderful recipe. A very Happy New Year to you!