Somebody needs to educate these young people today. I was in the Food Lion this mornin’ cause I need a jowl for my greens and I wanted dried black-eyed peas, cause in reality, in Virginia there are no “fresh peas” this time of year and I am not goin to be the one to mess with the gastronomic insurance policy.
But I digress. The young lady checkin me out and the gentleman baggin asked me why so many folks were all buyin greens and black-eyed peas and “stuff”?
She sounded like she had been down here for awhile, but when I inquired as to where she came from, she said her Momma was from New York, so I thought….Ahh, that explains it. She went on to tell me that she had learned that Southerners were really superstitious about their food and especially on New Year’s Day. Then she made the ultimate mistake cause she said, “So what’s this stuff sposed to do anyway?” Lord, do not open the door for Lurlene to step through with a story, cause you will git an earful. So right there in the Food Lion I began to recite the lore of food to be eaten on New Year’s Day to assure good luck, good lovin, and prosperity.
Startin with the easy stuff I went through the “traditional menu”.
Well, I said, collards are leafy vegetables and represent “foldin’ money”; while black-eyed peas represent “pocket change”. Always make sure you eat more greens than peas. Simple as that.
Hoppin’ John: is a staple of the Southern table; This is a mix of black-eyed peas (coins) and rice (representin “plenty”). Rumor has it that black-eyed peas were the only crop left after Sherman’s march through the South, so they also are imbued with luck and prosperity. On my table this is only served on the second day, cause I don’t like the idea of a “left-over” on first night.
But back to my story. I had two big ole cans of whole tomatoes in the basket so she ask me what they were for. I had to think quick cause I wanted to say that their whole purpose in life was to hide the flavor of the collards, but I knew better. They are for passion and promise. Start the year off without a tomato puddin’ as I call it and you can bet you are in for a long lonely winter!
In many Asian cultures, noodles are required New Year’s eating cause their length signifies a long life. But if the noodle breaks before it reaches your mouth, it’s bad luck for you! Not so in the South, here it’s Macaroni a “short noodle” and cheese. It’s the hot melted cheese and the toasty buttered bread crumbs that promise a short and warm winter. Why with all that fat you could just stick a candle in my belly and I’d burn for days.
La famille down in New Orleans serves turkey on the New Year’s Day menu. But most Southerners frown on poultry since fowl “scratch for a living”. We prefer to live “High on the Hog” and just about any good cut will serve the purpose. Pork is thought to bring good fortune, a tradition that may have originated because pigs use their snouts to dig in a forward direction, a symbol for “moving forward” in the New Year. I’ve always cooked tenderloins for my personal good luck charm, but given I’m older, I’m goin for a rolled rump. Seems more fittin these days.
My cart is almost empty now, except for leeks and beets a personal favorite with no particular lore and a good thing, cause I have about eight folks standin about and the twenty-sumpins are smiling and promisin me they are gonna fix a real Southern New Years Day Dinner. I move on out of the way so the gentleman behind me with the six-pack could tell his story next. He's been real polite.
My work here is done, it was a good mornin at the Food Lion.
Close by? Come on over, it’s a tradition in the Friendly Village. Feedin the masses since 1990 or there abouts. We almost canceled this year but Jude shook some sense in me and he was right. Some things just gotta happen.
Lurlene and Buck’s New Years Day Dinner (for as long as we live)
Stuffed Pork Roast with pan gravy, Black-eyed peas and Tomato Puddin, Collards, Macaroni and Cheese with buttered crumb toppin, pickled beets, Chow-chow, green tomato pickle and black-berry cobbler. (Look on the side for garlic rice)
Happy New Year everyone!
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