Superstitions are all around us, in every culture. Stepping on cracks, breaking mirrors, and walking under a ladder are superstitions we’ve all heard of. But did you realize how many superstitions revolve around food? Apparently we humans have done some pretty weird things to ward evil off of the dinner table. Let’s take a look at some of the more bizarre.
- The most universally known food superstition deals with salt. When spilling salt, one is supposed to then throw a pinch of the salt over their left shoulder. This of course blinds the devil and prevents him (or her) from stealing one’s soul.
- The Chinese love their noodles, the longer the better (not that Get your mind out of the gutter). A long noodle represents long life. It’s said that if you cut noodles before serving, you’re cutting the diner’s life short.
- Eggs are especially fertile when it comes to superstitions. Break an egg open to find two yolks? Somebody you know is going to have twins. Want abundant crops, Farmer Brown? Scatter egg pieces in the fields. And finally, did you forget to crush the eggshell after cracking an egg? Sucks to be you, because a witch is going to make a boat out of that shell and take to the seas, causing horrible storms. Duh!
- The ancient Greeks thought that smelling basil will make a scorpion appear in your brain. While not 100% sure, we think the Greeks believed this to be a bad thing.
- Apparently the devil loves to sit on loaves of bread, crushing and ruining them. So the Irish ingeniously started cutting a cross on the top of the loaf before baking. Take that you stupid devil! Also, a large air hole in your loaf of bread represents a coffin, indicating someone will die soon. So maybe I’ll order the wrap after all.
- Finally, European folklore tells us to always carry a clove of garlic to ward off the Evil Eye. We’re assuming this also wards off any chance of a date as well.