By Maylon Rice
I doubt there is anything really scientific to the New Year’s tradition of eating black-eyed peas for prosperity.
But you can bet they will be served in lots of places around Warren and in the South on New Year’s Day.
Confirming they will be on the menu at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion in a given.
Just as it was a given when Wisener Brothers – Kay and Wayne – held sway at the The Corral and Wayne’s Confectionary. Both places served up hot plate lunches that were, oh, so good.
Or even at Dave Spakes Café, always to me thought to be a hamburger haven – but also know for a plate lunch, could you find Black-Eyed Peas around the New Year’s approaching holiday – if not on New Year’s Day.
Black-eyed peas were not just for the struggling poor.
No sir, no self-respecting well off Arkansans would be without this staple in the New Year.
The late Witt Stephens, who lorded over the Stephens Bond Empire had it correct. If “Uncle Witt” was in the office, black-eyed peas would be on his executive dinner room menu on that day. No matter if it was Jan. 1 or July 1.
Today, the ultra-fancy hotel (The Capitol Hotel) just down from the Stephens Building will be serving up black-eyed peas of some sort. The same holiday fare item can be found at James At The Mill in Johnson, Bryce’s Cafeteria in Texarkana and other fine eateries all over Arkansas.
If Mollie’s Diner is open on Jan. 1 – I’ll bet they have Black-eye Peas as well.
Every national franchise like the Cracker Barrel will have them stewing for the traveling crowds on New Year’s Day.
Most respectable eateries that cater to a sit-down plate lunch will have the black-eyed peas. The dish will be on the cafeteria style-lunch line, or on menu and some establishments in Arkansas even serve up a side of black-eyed pears ala carte to all who dine with them on New Year’s Day.
So why is this tradition so important?
Heard time and uncertain economic times are a lynch-pin on why this traditional sticks with us Southerners.
It dates back to the Civil War when marauding Union forces often left field corn and such row crops as black-eyed or field-peas alone when foraging on Southern soil.
The Union soldiers, suspecting such staples were intended for livestock only.
The black-eyed pea or black-eyed bean, a legume, is a subspecies of the cowpea, grown around the world for its medium-sized, edible bean. The common commercial one is called the California Black eye; it is pale-colored with a prominent black spot in the shape of an eye.
Several food historians will tell us the tradition of black-eyed peas being a special food came across the Atlantic with slaves and that West Africans also believed that the eye in the black-eyed pea helped ward off the “evil eye.”
Another tie is the belief of Jewish people that the black-eyed pea is a symbol and the eating of symbols were indeed good luck.
Eating black-eyed peas for New Year’s has long been an African-American and Southern tradition.
It signifies luck or prosperity, one of several New Year’s foods that are associated with good fortune.
In the Southern United States, the black-eyed peas are typically cooked with a pork product for flavoring (such as bacon, ham bones, fatback, or hog jowl), diced onion, and served with a hot chili sauce or a peppery-flavored vinegar concoction.
You must be a Yankee if you have to ask someone the difference in ham bones, fat back or a how jowl.
Or, if you don’t know what pepper-sauce is?
There is no sweeter or tastier meat, than that of a long stewed hog jowl which falls off the bone in a vat of black-eyed peas on a cold, cloudy New Year’s Day in Arkansas.
Seasonings?
Why they are as varied as the recipes for black-eyed peas.
Some like a little salt and pepper.
Others like a little homemade pepper sauce.
Or just a taste of a malted vinegar.
Better yet, dab on a little of that commercial Louisiana hot sauce in the narrow necked red-bottle.
Now what else to serve to afford prosperity in your home or business or level of city, county or state government like a dish of black-eyed peas?
Like all of America today, there are regional variations to this basic Southern fare.
Just like in barbeque the black-eye peas served on New Year’s Day is a grudge match between Texas and North Carolina cuisines. Both call their regional dish “Hopping Jack” a concoction of rice, black-eyed peas and pork.
Another slightly different take on the black-eyed peas from Texas is called, what else, “Texas caviar.”
This is made of black-eyed peas marinated in Italian salad dressing and chopped garlic, and served cold.
That’s a real Yuppy concoction, no doubt.
The traditional black-eyed pea meal also includes collard, turnip, or mustard greens, and ham. The peas, since they swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity; the greens symbolize money; the pork, because pigs root forward when foraging, represents positive motion.
Cornbread also often accompanies this meal; say the cook book writers, foodies and other culinary experts.
Sure, I tell you, cornbread must accompany this dish.
Store bought bread just won’t do.
Happy New Year everybody.
Now get started on cooking and eating them black-eyed peas.
And let us all hope 2017 is a prosperous year ahead of us.
But you can bet they will be served in lots of places around Warren and in the South on New Year’s Day.
Confirming they will be on the menu at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion in a given.
Just as it was a given when Wisener Brothers – Kay and Wayne – held sway at the The Corral and Wayne’s Confectionary. Both places served up hot plate lunches that were, oh, so good.
Or even at Dave Spakes Café, always to me thought to be a hamburger haven – but also know for a plate lunch, could you find Black-Eyed Peas around the New Year’s approaching holiday – if not on New Year’s Day.
Black-eyed peas were not just for the struggling poor.
No sir, no self-respecting well off Arkansans would be without this staple in the New Year.
The late Witt Stephens, who lorded over the Stephens Bond Empire had it correct. If “Uncle Witt” was in the office, black-eyed peas would be on his executive dinner room menu on that day. No matter if it was Jan. 1 or July 1.
Today, the ultra-fancy hotel (The Capitol Hotel) just down from the Stephens Building will be serving up black-eyed peas of some sort. The same holiday fare item can be found at James At The Mill in Johnson, Bryce’s Cafeteria in Texarkana and other fine eateries all over Arkansas.
If Mollie’s Diner is open on Jan. 1 – I’ll bet they have Black-eye Peas as well.
Every national franchise like the Cracker Barrel will have them stewing for the traveling crowds on New Year’s Day.
Most respectable eateries that cater to a sit-down plate lunch will have the black-eyed peas. The dish will be on the cafeteria style-lunch line, or on menu and some establishments in Arkansas even serve up a side of black-eyed pears ala carte to all who dine with them on New Year’s Day.
So why is this tradition so important?
Heard time and uncertain economic times are a lynch-pin on why this traditional sticks with us Southerners.
It dates back to the Civil War when marauding Union forces often left field corn and such row crops as black-eyed or field-peas alone when foraging on Southern soil.
The Union soldiers, suspecting such staples were intended for livestock only.
The black-eyed pea or black-eyed bean, a legume, is a subspecies of the cowpea, grown around the world for its medium-sized, edible bean. The common commercial one is called the California Black eye; it is pale-colored with a prominent black spot in the shape of an eye.
Several food historians will tell us the tradition of black-eyed peas being a special food came across the Atlantic with slaves and that West Africans also believed that the eye in the black-eyed pea helped ward off the “evil eye.”
Another tie is the belief of Jewish people that the black-eyed pea is a symbol and the eating of symbols were indeed good luck.
Eating black-eyed peas for New Year’s has long been an African-American and Southern tradition.
It signifies luck or prosperity, one of several New Year’s foods that are associated with good fortune.
In the Southern United States, the black-eyed peas are typically cooked with a pork product for flavoring (such as bacon, ham bones, fatback, or hog jowl), diced onion, and served with a hot chili sauce or a peppery-flavored vinegar concoction.
You must be a Yankee if you have to ask someone the difference in ham bones, fat back or a how jowl.
Or, if you don’t know what pepper-sauce is?
There is no sweeter or tastier meat, than that of a long stewed hog jowl which falls off the bone in a vat of black-eyed peas on a cold, cloudy New Year’s Day in Arkansas.
Seasonings?
Why they are as varied as the recipes for black-eyed peas.
Some like a little salt and pepper.
Others like a little homemade pepper sauce.
Or just a taste of a malted vinegar.
Better yet, dab on a little of that commercial Louisiana hot sauce in the narrow necked red-bottle.
Now what else to serve to afford prosperity in your home or business or level of city, county or state government like a dish of black-eyed peas?
Like all of America today, there are regional variations to this basic Southern fare.
Just like in barbeque the black-eye peas served on New Year’s Day is a grudge match between Texas and North Carolina cuisines. Both call their regional dish “Hopping Jack” a concoction of rice, black-eyed peas and pork.
Another slightly different take on the black-eyed peas from Texas is called, what else, “Texas caviar.”
This is made of black-eyed peas marinated in Italian salad dressing and chopped garlic, and served cold.
That’s a real Yuppy concoction, no doubt.
The traditional black-eyed pea meal also includes collard, turnip, or mustard greens, and ham. The peas, since they swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity; the greens symbolize money; the pork, because pigs root forward when foraging, represents positive motion.
Cornbread also often accompanies this meal; say the cook book writers, foodies and other culinary experts.
Sure, I tell you, cornbread must accompany this dish.
Store bought bread just won’t do.
Happy New Year everybody.
Now get started on cooking and eating them black-eyed peas.
And let us all hope 2017 is a prosperous year ahead of us.
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