Although I was born north of the Mason-Dixon Line, I have lived in the south for over thirty-five years now. And there are some southern traditions that I have learned to embrace.
One of these traditions is the serving of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Years Day. Folklore states that the peas bring luck and prosperity, and the greens will lead you to money.
And not being one to sneer at local custom, I always prepare the annual fare with gusto, from scratch and seasoned with ham hocks and good fresh herbs. I cook the collards outside, as they can produce an incredible amount of odor, but once they are tender they make a delicious winter complement to the peas.
And believe it or not, it works! Right after dinner, I felt like my luck had already changed for the better because my stomach was filled with hot delicious food that didn’t cost very much at all. As a matter of fact, including the cornbread, the entire dinner cost less than tem dollars.
Wow, good luck and more money the same day that I strictly adhered to the ritual. In light of that purely anecdotal success, I hereby declare the legend of the black-eyed pea dinner on New Year’s Day to be factual, valid and true
And yes, I’m still eating leftovers! So I'm going to be REAL lucky this year.
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