It's true. It actually is a tradition. Black eye peas for a prosperous New Year. And it has been passed along down from our line out of Tennessee. It is a Southern thing after all. I've read that it started during the civil war. I only know that my mother (whose mother was a Ford - and yes one of those Fords - those two brothers who murdered Jessie James were her great uncles) had to have them every New Year's day. It was as much a part of our celebration as watching the ball fall the night before. And I am a stern taskmaster of keeping tradition. My husband refuses to eat them. Fine. I'll take all the prosperity for myself. Besides I actually like them.
This year, I am going whole hog (so to speak). I actually bought the dried bag of black eye peas. Yesterday, I cooked a delicious honey glazed ham. Tonight, the beans and the ham bone will go in the crock pot with some onion and celery and chicken stock for a nice long simmer. I defy anyone to not want to eat these black eye peas. Yum.
