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Vegetables Cornfield or Black Eye Peas

cornfield or black eye peas.
512px-Black-eyed_peas.jpg
(from Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, 1878)

Ingredients:

fresh black eye peas (if dried, pre-soak overnight)​
salt​
butter, or slice of fat meat​

Instructions:

Shell early in the morning, throw into water till an hour before dinner, when put into boiling water, covering close while cooking. Add a little salt, just before taking from the fire. Drain and serve with a large spoonful fresh butter, or put in a pan with a slice of fat meat, and simmer a few minutes. Dried peas must be soaked overnight, and cooked twice as long as fresh. - Mrs. S. T.​

Photo by Bubba73, CC-4.0

It is a commonly held belief that the Southern tradition of eating Blackeyed Peas to celebrate New Year’s stemmed from Yankee General William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea, during which they pillaged the Confederates' food supplies. Stories say peas and salted pork were said to have been left untouched, because of the belief that they were animal food unfit for human consumption. Southerners considered themselves lucky to be left with some supplies to help them survive the winter, and black-eyed peas evolved into a representation of good luck. One challenge to this legend is that General Sherman brought backup supplies with him including three days of animal feed and would have been unlikely to have left even animal feed untouched. Nevertheless, the Yankees brutally burned and destroyed houses, farms, fields and anything that would potentially serve the Confederate war effort and, as Gen. Sherman sadistically said, “Make Georgia howl!”
 
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Around my neck of the woods it's always been Black Eyed Peas and Collards that we
eat on New Year's Day. Of course, I wouldn't turn down cornbread on any occasion.
Black Eyed Peas are eaten to bring good luck and the Collards represent financial
prosperity for the coming year

It used to be common to fire guns into the air to announce the coming New Year
but with the urbanization of the surrounding area where I live that has pretty much
gone the way of the Turkey Shoot that used to be held before Thanksgiving at every
fire station and community club. I am stubborn though, I have a replica Colt 1873
Single Action Army that I have fired for the past few years in my backyard to greet
the arrival of the New Year. So far, my neighbors have voiced no objections. ( I get
along well with them and they know I tolerate their constant burning of debris and
trash in their yard with no complaints) Happy New Year to everyone who frequents
this website!
 
Wrote an article on the origins of this particular tradition a few years back.
 
There are obviously variations on the "theme." In my family since I was a kid and carried forward it was hog jowl, black-eyed peas, sauerkraut and cornbread...
Very true !

There are variations/traditions on this New Years meal throughout the South.
But one ingredient is the common denominator.

"Black Eyes"

From the elegant "Hopping John" version in the South Carolina Low Country to the more rustic versions that are prepared as far west as East Texas.


Black-eyed peas represent good luck during the new year.
A green leafy vegetable of choice represents money or prosperity.

I'm not sure what a pork dish signifies ... as there is some controversy about that issue.

But no matter, it's a great Southern New Year's Day tradition !

( along with the important College Football Bowl Games, and more adult beverages)

:smile:
 
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