Why do Southerners eat black-eyed peas and collard greens?
According to legendary Southern food researcher John Egerton’s Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History, black-eyed peas are associated with a “mystical and mythical power to bring good luck.” As for collard greens, they’re green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year.
Why do you put money in black-eyed peas?
Some say the tradition of eating black-eyed peas dates back to the Civil War. Serving your black-eyed peas with greens (collards, mustard or turnip), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold.
What meat goes with collards and black-eyed peas?
Adding cooked greens (the color of money) is said to make them even luckier. Simmered with onion and a meaty ham bone (other options are salt pork, bacon, pig’s feet, hog jowl and ham hock), black-eyed peas are often seasoned quite simply, with just salt and pepper.
What is the tradition of black-eyed peas and collard greens?
Black-eyed peas and collard greens are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day across the South, to symbolize luck and money in the forthcoming year. Like so many of my favorite Southern foods, they came out of the African diaspora.
What happens if you don’t eat black-eyed peas on new year’s?
So, we’ve established that eating black-eyed peas on January 1 will bring you a year’s worth of prosperity. But the luck won’t stick, according to many legends, if you don’t eat them with greens (which symbolize money), cornbread (which symbolizes gold), and pork (which symbolizes luck, as pigs root forward).
Why do Southerners eat black-eyed peas?
In the Southern United States, eating black-eyed peas or Hoppin’ John (a traditional soul food) on New Year’s Day is thought to bring prosperity in the new year. Two popular explanations for the South’s association with peas and good luck dates back to the American Civil War.
Do black-eyed peas need to be soaked?
Do black eyed peas need to soak? It’s really not necessary. Dry black eyed peas cook in about an hour without soaking, which is perfectly reasonable. If you cook them in the pressure cooker, they’ll cook even faster!
What do collard greens symbolize?
It is believed eating these foods on New Year’s Day will bring good luck and prosperity for the remainder of the year. Greens – (collards, mustard or turnip greens, cabbage, etc.) symbolize the green of “dollar bills,” and will ensure you have a financially prosperous New Year.
What do the Irish eat on new year’s day?
Per Irish tradition, eat corned beef and cabbage along with potatoes, carrots and onions for a New Year filled with luck and abundance. This meal is created quickly by boiling and simmering corned beef to desired taste and texture, adding seasoning of spices to taste.
What does cornbread mean on New Years?
gold
Cornbread – Representing gold, eating cornbread brings with it the hope of extra spending money in the new year. Pork – Another symbol of prosperity, eating pork is a tradition many cultures around the world believe.