Why We Eat Black Eyed Peas
Cornbread, Gumbo, and a Humble New Year
Happy New Year!
Did you ring in the start of 2022 with caviar and canapés? That’s how I celebrated the end of 2020 last year, with a buffet of appetizers, some (surprisingly great) Cotsco caviar, and champagne cocktails. I was feeling wildly optimistic, and yet look how 2021 turned out (gestures to the three Covid testing tents on my block and FOR RENT signs littering the neighborhood storefronts).
This New Year’s Eve was a more casual affair, sans sequins and lamé. I wasn’t feeling particularly festive, but still soaked, simmered, and baked a mess of black eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread for New Year’s Day. We eat peas, greens, and cornbread on the first day of the year for good luck and prosperity. And couldn’t we all use a little luck this year?!
This tradition hails from the South, of course. Southerns love superstitions. But why this particular New Year’s Day trio? The simplest explanation is that black eyed peas represent coins, collard greens resemble paper money, and corn bread is gold.
The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. Originally they were used as food for livestock and later as a food staple for enslaved people in the South. Because of their lowly reputation, the Union Army troops of General Sherman ignored the fields of black-eyed peas while razing or stealing other crops. During the harsh winter, the Confederate soldiers survived on the remaining black-eyed peas, promoting this humble and nourishing legume into a symbol of fortune and prosperity in the American South.
It’s no surprise, then, that my favorite recipe for black eyed peas comes from Savannah, Georgia. Chef Mashama Bailey, of famed restaurant The Grey, has a vegan recipe for stewed black eyed peas that cannot be improved upon. I make it every year. It’s a several hour long affair, but worth the effort. For the dry beans, plan ahead and order the best: Rancho Gordo.
For the collard greens, IMO, you’re going to need a little meat. In particular, some pork. Tradition calls for simmering greens long and low with ham hocks or big hunks of bacon. This year I used pork belly. I love this recipe for Sweet and Tangy Collard Greens by Nashville chef, Julia Sullivan. It finishes with splashes of apple cider vinegar, which adds a refreshing bite.
When it comes to making cornbread, I’m going to agree with my man, Lewis Grizzard, who said “If you want something sweet, order the pound cake. Anybody who puts sugar in the corn bread is a heathen who doesn't love the Lord, not to mention Southeastern Conference football."
There is no sugar in my cornbread. This year I made Skyler Bouchard’s Cheddar, Pimento and Scallion Skillet Cornbread. It's a showstopper and you should make a batch, even if you don’t own a cast iron skillet.
While planning my New Year’s Day Good Luck Feast, I came across a Black- Eyed Pea, Collard, and Pork Gumbo recipe from Cochon, a Cajun-Southern restaurant in New Orleans that I love. I decided to give it a go, incorporating the bean and collard recipes I mentioned above. I bought a pork shoulder, simmered it for five hours, and shredded it into the gumbo along with a pound of okra and tablespoon of filé powder (aka ground sassafras leaves).
Some might say you don’t need filé if your gumbo has okra. Others insist you don’t need either if you make a roux (a flour and fat base). Personally, I like to make gumbo with all three, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Southern Living gets final say in their article 6 Ways to Screw Up a Pot of Gumbo.
For more gumbo tips, “I GUAR-ON-TEE” you’ll learn a thing or two from Cajun treasure, Chef Justin Wilson (including the indisputable fact that gumbo always tastes better on day two).
Now that we’re a few days into the New Year and the holiday leftovers have run out, I’m planning my first meals of 2022. Typically I’d take a stroll through my local Union Square Greenmarket for inspiration, but Winter Warrior Season is upon us, which means the market is primarily stocked with potatoes and other root vegetables. It can be a little depressing.
So instead of the market, I’ve found inspo from my favorite magazines and substack newsletters. I’m kicking off the year with these new-to-me recipes:
Alison Roman’s Very Good Lasagna
Martha Stewart’s Saffron-and-Orange-Scented Seafood Stew
Marcella Schneiderman’s Bison and Kale Chili
Better Home and Garden’s Pork Chop with Cranberries and Pears
I gave my kitchen and refrigerator a deep clean yesterday. It feels inspiring, like a blank canvas! I also ordered a fresh pair of oven mitts. They arrived yesterday, and it’s such a small thing, a little treat for myself, but it’s got me feeling a bit more optimistic about the year ahead.
