I don't have a clue as to why, but every January 1st Mom force fed me black eyed peas and told me it would bring good luck in the coming year. I did a little internet searching and found that this belief is fairly common across the southern US, but no real explanation as to why. Anyone know? I continue the tradition by making my kids eat them on New Year's Day. Dave made it much easier by telling the boys if they ate black eyed peas their farts would really stink. They couldn't seem to get enough after that. Boys are gross!Well so far the black eyed peas don't seem to be doing the job (the good luck part, the farts stink to high heaven)! Dave woke up this morning feeling tired and coughing, by this afternoon he was running a fever and asleep on the couch, still coughing. I hope he feels better in the morning. I really hope none of the boys get sick. Dave just wants to be left alone when he is sick. The boys want someone to wait on them hand and foot 24/7 when they are sick.
Dave tried to call his family this morning and wish everyone a happy New Year but the VOIP wasn't working. He spent most of the morning fussing with it but it appears that a power surge wiped it out. Don't know when he will get it working again. Back to using calling cards!
I made a big pot of black eyed peas and a big pot of baked potato soup, corn bread, cookies and ice tea. We were supposed to have a bunch of friends over today to eat black eyed peas for good luck in the new year. Only a few people showed up so now we have tons of leftovers. Our fault really, we were late getting invites out, oh well. I won't have to cook tomorrow!
Happy New Year!
3 comments:
I've heard of the black-eyed pea tradition. When I was growing up, we had to have pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day -- a tradition observed by the German side of my family. Also supposed to be for luck. The other, non-German side of my family didn't have any special foods to eat on New Year's Day, but they didn't seem to be more or less luck!
Now here's one New Year's Day tradition I wouldn't mind picking up at all! :-)
Have a happy 2008!
Black-eyed peas are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day in the American South and in some other parts of the USA. In some areas, they are served as a starchy side dish, cooked with or without fatback and/or diced onion, and often served with a hot chili sauce or a pepper-flavored vinegar. In other areas, they are served in a traditional dish called "Hoppin' John" made of black-eyed peas cooked with rice, sometimes pork (such as hawg maws, neckbone, hock, or fatback), and seasonings.
The traditional meal also features collard or mustard greens or cabbage. This is supposed to bring good luck and financial enrichment. The peas stand for good luck, the greens symbolize paper money. Cornbread also often accompanies this meal.
These "good luck" traditions date back to the U.S. Civil War. Union troops, especially in areas targeted by General William Tecumseh Sherman, would typically strip the countryside of all stored food, crops, and livestock and destroy whatever they couldn't carry away. At that time, Northerners considered "field peas" and corn suitable only for animal fodder, and as a result didn't steal or destroy these humble foods. Many Southerners survived as a result of this mistake.[1](internet research)
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