Happy New Year!
We are well on the way into January, but there is still time to celebrate it a bit. When friends came to see in 2015 with me, upon their departure, I gave them a small bag of black eye peas to take home with them. It is a bit of a tradition in our family, but not ours alone. As long as I can remember, my Mom made black eye peas after New Year's Day. It is supposed to guarantee a year of adundance!
I looked into this, and find the following:
These peas, which are actually a bean, originated in Africa in ancient times. They only came to America in the 1700's along with the slave trade. Mostly used in the South in Florida and the Carolinas, they became a staple and were used in stews with greens and ham hocks as an inexpensive flavor booster.
There are many recipes but the traditional is best, first soaking the beans, then putting them in water with salt, peppper, a ham hock, and a squeeze of lemon. Let them simmer til softened, but not too soft. You don't want mush.
They are a friendly food, and if they don't bring wealth, they will certainly bring comfort and joy!
No comments:
Post a Comment