Black-eyed peas are not just good for your health, they're also believed to bring those who eat them good luck into the next year. TEAK PHILIPS/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Visit the Photo Place

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This pea stands for prosperity for many PEAS IN HISTORY FUN FACTS

superstition foods

Date published: 12/26/2007

By MARCIA ARMSTRONG

What do black-eyed peas have to do with good luck and prosperity?

Everything or nothing, depending on what you believe.

According to Southern folklore, those who eat the little beige-with-a-black-spot legume on New Year's Day will have good luck the rest of the year.

The peas aren't alone in attracting good fortune. A lucky New Year's meal also features collard or mustard greens and cornbread.

According to the myth of pea prosperity, the peas represent coins, the greens symbolize paper money, and cornbread stands for gold.

While Fredericksburg resident Ann Black fixes a New-Year's-Day pot of peas for her grown children and their families every year, she doesn't buy into the legend.

"I don't know that it really brings good luck," Black said. "It's a tradition, kind of like blowing out birthday candles or pulling the wishbone on the chicken."

Kimberly Perry grew up believing that any luck bestowed by eating black-eyed peas comes from the penny that her family places in the pot just before serving.

"The person who gets the penny in their bowl will have good fortune all year," said Perry, who lives in King George County.

Another key to attracting a year's worth of good luck is humility, Perry said.

"The belief is that if you start the year out humbly, you will end up prosperous," she said. "So you cook all humble food--black-eyed peas, turnip greens, cornbread, and fried green tomatoes if you can find them--for New Year's Day. Not expensive stuff; not filet mignon."

Perry begins her pea preparation by sawing off pieces of bone from a cooked ham, as did her mother and grandmother before her.

"I get the meat off the bone and use the bone in the peas," she said. "That's what gives it such good flavor."

She washes and rinses a big batch of dried peas, then covers them in 2 inches of salty water to soak overnight.

"The water allows the peas to rehydrate and absorb the salt," she said. "If you don't soak them, they take a lot longer to cook."

Originally used as food for livestock, they became a staple of the slaves' diet. During the Civil War, black-eyed peas (field peas) and corn were thus ignored by Gen. Sherman's troops. Left behind in the fields, they became important food for the Confederate South. --The Library of Congress Cultivated since prehistoric times in China and India, they are related to the mung bean. The ancient Greeks and Romans preferred them to chickpeas. Brought to the West Indies from West Africa by slaves, by earliest records in 1674. They are a key ingredient in Hoppin' John (peas, rice and pork). Originally called mogette (French for nun). The black eye in the center of the bean (where it attaches to the pod) reminded some of a nun's head attire. --The Library of Congress TEXAS CAVIAR 2 cups blackeyed peas 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 can chopped green chiles dash of cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce 2 tablespoons minced onion 2 tablespoons minced celery 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, (or more, if you are a cilantro fan) 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced Cook's note: Be sure your peas, onion and celery contain as little water as possible. Texas Caviar is chunky--not soupy. Procedure: Drain peas, rinse with cold water and drain again. Combine olive oil, chiles, cayenne, onion, celery, vinegar, salt and pepper, and mix well. Pour over peas and stir gently. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. At serving time, add chopped tomatoes and cilantro, and stir gently to mix. Recipe from: texascooking.com

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Date published: 12/26/2007