Black Eyed Peas for Good Luck & Fortune in the New Year
There is a Southern tradition that suggests eating black eyed peas on New Years Day will bring you good luck and fortune throughout the coming year. I am not sure if this custom works or not, but I can vouch for the fact that not eating black eyed peas doesn't do you any good whatsoever, so what do we have to lose?
Jet lagged and feeling quite lethargic about being back in the real world after a most amazing Christmas spent in sunnier climes, I can't be bothered to go out food shopping today. But when I went to visit the Homesick Texan to see what she had to say about Black Eyed Peas, I found she had a recipe that seems almost tailor made for me. I have just about everything to make a Big Pot of Black-eyed Peas without leaving the house. And except salt and pepper, all of it locally produced to boot.
CHECK: 1 pound dried black-eyed peas - from Short Night Farm
CHECK: 1/2 pound bacon - Fatted Calf Bacon, always extra in the freezer.
CHECK: 1/4 cup bacon drippings - at long last a valid use for my bacon fat collection
CHECK: 1 large onion - found! at the bottom of the fridge, probably Chue's Farm
CHECK: 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes - well, that's what I did this for, right?
CHECK: 4 garlic cloves - ditto onion
XXXXX: 3 jalapenos (pickled or fresh) - err? can I used a dried chili instead please?
CHECK: 2 teaspoons chili powder - Someone special grew and ground me some.
So I am going to start off my New Year, today, by standing over a bubbling pot of beans and bacon and I am really excited because later I am going to be meeting up for a drink with my soda heroine. And as for the resolutions? Pah! They are just going to have to wait a few more days...
Happy New Year - I wish all my readers some Black Eyed Peas, today, and an auspicious start to 2008! Go, make it happen.
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20 Comments:
At 1/1/08 14:05,
Dagny said…
My mom and I had a discussion about the traditional meal this morning. According to her, the black eyed peas are only for good luck. For good fortune, you have to have greens as well.
Happy New Year!
At 1/1/08 14:08,
Lisa Fain (Homesick Texan) said…
Relaxed after a trip to Fiji? Check. Drinks with Fizzy Lizzy? Check. All the ingredients on hand to make a fortuitous pot of black-eyed peas? Check. Who needs resolutions--sounds like your 2008 is off to a smashing start. Happy new year, Sam!
At 1/1/08 14:10,
Sam said…
Thanks Dagny - Well it's New Years day and I have nothing green in the house so I'll have to settle for just the good luck! In my book, I think luck is fortune in itself - and we all know that it's not money that makes you happy, eh?
Fred and I just ate the beans for our lunch (well breakfast really since we got up so late), and they were truly delicious, so luck/fortune or no, we had a great meal out of it whatever the outcome.
At 1/1/08 14:13,
Sam said…
Homesick Texan - I am so relaxed after the Fiji trip I have done nothing since we got back. (Except make those delicious beans - I deviated from your recipe a little but they were SO good, so thanks to you!)
I have no idea how I will manage to get up for work in time tomorrow. I am usually an early riser but the recent move to lie-ins feel so good I am in for a shock, methinks, tomorrow!
At 1/1/08 15:25,
ChrisB said…
Hi Sam it was lovely talking to you yesterday. Beccy and the gang went home this evening. Dad is also back to work tomorrow. Us retired people can have a lie in!!
At 1/1/08 18:14,
Anonymous said…
Your beans sound wonderful, and just the thing to ease you back into "real life"...
Happy New Year - I hope that your hopes and dreams come true! xox
At 1/1/08 18:26,
cookiecrumb said…
Luck, fortune, whatever. I've heard the beans represent coins, and the greens represent folding money.
We had a nice batch over at my house today, but I had to settle for black pepper, since you are the sole recipient (so far) of my ground chili powder. Glad you used it!
Happy New Year, Sam and Fred.
At 2/1/08 08:40,
Anonymous said…
Yay, you're home! Do you know that Short Night is one of my absolute favorite farms at the FPFM? I have to restrain myself from talking them to death.
My NY resolution is to use "moreish" in conversation as much as possible. :)
At 2/1/08 13:03,
Katy said…
my boyfriend's mom always makes sure to have cabbage and black eyed peas on new year's day! i'd never heard of the tradition before i started spending new years with them, but it's kind of fun!
At 2/1/08 17:00,
jeremypb said…
have you seen Robert Keats' new years piece about his friends new years party? It's cool they had a different snack each hour native to the time zone where it was turning midnight! Check it out:
http://www.oneforthetable.com/oftt/articles/party-of-the-year.html
At 3/1/08 02:19,
Beccy said…
That sounds tasty Sam, I hope your first day back to work wasn't too bad.
At 3/1/08 09:14,
Anonymous said…
If I'd known you were going to Fiji I'd have given you my friend's phone number!
At 3/1/08 14:43,
Anonymous said…
Hi Sam! I saw Shane on NYE, and he mentioned this tradition to me as well, and then just forwarded your blog piece. We were at farmerbrown so I had access to the good luck stuff, but didn't partake. I did have a taste though. Hope that's enough for good luck. Happy New Year to you and Fred. Alex and I missed you this past New Year's. Looks like there would've been plenty of snow for us this year! Although Fiji sounds like it was more relaxing.
At 4/1/08 13:54,
Anonymous said…
I've seen the world linking you and never stopped by. It's awesome.
Black-eyed peas are wonderful and can be cooked quickly, that's why I love them so - good for fast family food. And, a great way to use up that pork fat!
At 4/1/08 21:48,
Anonymous said…
Welcome home and a happy New Year to you!
At 5/1/08 14:42,
DS said…
I love black eyed peas! I had some on new years, and I'm inspired by the idea that eating them brings good vibes in the new year.
BTW, cool blog. I'm a foodie blog junkie heheh.
At 5/1/08 15:19,
Chef Jeena said…
Hi there you have such a lovely blog.I have a blog also here is my link Food Recipes
Let me know if you would like to exchange links. Thanks Jeena x
At 5/1/08 17:45,
Mercedes said…
Hooray for black-eyed peas and happy new year!
At 7/1/08 12:31,
meathenge said…
Yay! Happy New Year. mMMmM, peas & pork.
xo, Biggles
At 7/1/08 12:37,
seantimberlake said…
Of course we procrastinated trying to get black-eyed peas until January 1, at which point there were none to be had. So, we had to make do with Rancho Gordo vaqueros. Pity. Happy New Year to you, Sam!
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