New Years Day Food: Deep South Version

[Rowsdower70]

Some of you may or may not know that in the South, there are three items one should eat every New Years Day.  Greens (Cabbage, Collard, Mustard, or Turnip greens will do),  Black-Eyed Peas, and ham (pork in any form will do).    I think many cultures have similar traditions, but I'm only privy to the inner workings of what I grew up with.

First, lets get the obvious out of the way.   Greens symbolize wealth.  The reason is obvious and several cultures actually share this belief.  One should always eat their greens on New Years Day if you want to be prosperous in the New Year.  Here's how it's served in my neck of the woods.  (cabbage pictured, flavored with plenty of bacon)



Next, we have the pork.  Above you have bacon flavoring your greens, so that might do for some folks.  For us, however, we grew up needing a main dish on New Years Day anyway, so there's usually a ham.   Why pork?  Pigs root forward when scrounging for food.   Eating pig symbolizes moving forward or progressing in the New Year, so the pork is for luck.   NEVER, and I mean NEVER eat chicken on New Years Day as chickens scratch backwards when scrounging up food.  Looking back=bad luck.  We don't want that now do we?   Trust me, if a Southerner can give up fried chicken any day, it is important.


Lastly, there's the black-eyed peas which there seems to be some confusion about on the internet.  Some folks seem to think the reason we have black-eyed peas is because they look like coins. What?  Never heard that, nor have I seen a coin that looks like a black-eyed pea.   Here's the scoop:
Black-eyed peas were brought from Africa by the slaves.  Like much of their food, it quickly became a staple in Southern cuisine.   During the Civil War, the Union Troops would confiscate and eat all of the crops from Southern farms.   Not knowin' no better (silly Yankees) they considered Black Eyed Peas livestock feed, so they left them alone.   As a result, many times that's all they had to eat.   So black-eyed peas are eaten for health in the New Year.  Some folks say you should eat one black-eyed pea for each day of the new year.   Sounds like a LOT of peas to me, so just a helping or two will do. 
(You'll notice again more bacon)

Some folks include cornbread on the list of must-haves for New Years day claiming it represents gold, but I've never heard that and as you can see we've already got wealth covered.   The reason this is eaten on New Years day is simple, it goes perfect with this meal.   

So there you have it folks.  Maybe you learned something about our traditions in the South, maybe you knew all this already.

What about you?  What are your traditions for New Years day if you have any?

[RickR]

We make a dish called "Hoppin' John", which has ham, bacon, and black eyed peas covered. Need to add some greens it sounds like.

[Rowsdower70]

We make a dish called "Hoppin' John", which has ham, bacon, and black eyed peas covered. Need to add some greens it sounds like.

I've heard about Hoppin' John, sounds like something I'd love.   Nothing special for Italians on New Years?

[RickR]

I'll have to send you my Hoppin' John recipe.

 

Italian tradition is pork and lentils on New Year's. But pork and black-eyed peas works for me. Also something about red unds for fertility...but no thanks on that one.

[Rowsdower70]

;-) At times like this, I think I live in the worst part of Europe..no special dishes or anything :'(

 

Pics put up in this thread have me drooling here.

Anytime you're in Texas, swing by!  I'll show you the culinary ropes!

[fergojisan]

I don't have any New Years food traditions, but I want to eat all of that. Whenever we go down south we like to go to the independent restaurants and cafeterias that make food like this, the food is sooooooooooo good. 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I'm originally from the south so I know all about the break from chicken when you can get it.  I do miss the Waffle Houses I use to visit now and then.   

 

As a tradition, my wife and I have always grabbed a couple of the sub sandwiches from Wal-Mart along with some Lil' Smokies and some chips.  I never would have done this but a friend of mine in Arkansas made miniature skewers using toothpicks loaded with smokies that had been slow cooked in bar-b-que sauce, coupled with chunks of pineapple from a can.  Surprisingly...it's really good!  I spent time with them before I moved.

 

This year we got the usual stuff but we upped the ante.  We are going to make our own nachos with store-bought ingredients and I am adding seasoned ground beef to top them off.  

 

That ham looks really good!  So does the greens.  

 

 

I don't have any New Years food traditions, but I want to eat all of that. Whenever we go down south we like to go to the independent restaurants and cafeterias that make food like this, the food is sooooooooooo good. 

 

If you ever travel to Branson, Missouri and pass through, or can find the time to travel south a bit farther, check out some of the restaurants in Harrison, Arkansas.  You will need this...

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g60749-Harrison_Arkansas.html

 

T's BBQ is really good and I don't know if it is still there or not but there use to be a place called Big Daddy's across from the Edward's grocery store.  Really BIG hamburgers!  I had to cut mine in half just to try to bite it.

[jmjustin6]

We too are having a ham and black eyed peas. Always a delicious thing this time a year

[greenween]

Born and raised in the south and this is what we ate every year, add cornbread.  The juice from the black eyed peas mixed with the cornbread is perfect! The food is what I miss most from NC.

[greenween]

I get bottles of Eastern Carolina bbq sauce mailed to me a couple times a year also. The Pik N Pig in Carthage NC is my favorite place ever. I eat there everyday whenever I visit. Check them out on FB if you happen to be planning a trip to NC for some reason!

[Rowsdower70]

Born and raised in the south and this is what we ate every year, add cornbread.  The juice from the black eyed peas mixed with the cornbread is perfect! The food is what I miss most from NC.

Oh yeah, you gotta have the corn bread!   

[RickR]

I found a really good cornbread recipe and tried it just last night....no butter.  Was simple and fantastic. 

[RickR]

Well, we had our Hoppin' John this evening for dinner.  Was delish.  Happy New Year, everybody! 

 

 

[Rowsdower70]

My mom through us a curve ball and the main dish was Mexican Cornbread, our bacon was in the cabbage and black eyed peas.   It was awesome.

Here's to a great 2017!

[Rowsdower70]

Looking at what we do..

 

full English Breakfast..

 

Cornish Pasty

 

And Cream Tea where Devon and Cornwall argue over whether you put jam or cream on 1st...

 

Dull old England :'(

 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_dishes

 

I mean really?.

There's several I see on the list. Beef Wellington is really awesome, I'm a fan of many meat pies, my father even LOVES mince pies.   Also, Fish and Chips is something I can't pass up if they're nice and crispy!