Blackeyed Pea
Q. How did the belief that eating blackeyed peas on New Year's Day start?
A. Back in the days of the Wild West, Southern gentility, and Northern hostility, our celebrated blackeyed peas were used strictly for the feeding of cattle in the South. During the Civil War battle of Vicksburg, the town was under siege for over 40 days. No supplies went in and none came out The entire town was on the brink of starvation. So they ate those humble ''cowpeas,'' thus starting a southern tradition. Nowadays blackeyes are eaten every New Year's Day to bring good luck for the coming year. All the way back to the days of the Pharaoh, blackeyed peas have been a symbol of luck and fortune. The superstition is that those who eat blackeyes, an inexpensive and modest food, show their humility and save themselves from the wrath of the heavens because of the vanity they might have. Blackeyed peas are neither a pea nor a bean. They are lentils.
Q. How did the belief that eating blackeyed peas on New Year's Day start?
A. Back in the days of the Wild West, Southern gentility, and Northern hostility, our celebrated blackeyed peas were used strictly for the feeding of cattle in the South. During the Civil War battle of Vicksburg, the town was under siege for over 40 days. No supplies went in and none came out The entire town was on the brink of starvation. So they ate those humble ''cowpeas,'' thus starting a southern tradition. Nowadays blackeyes are eaten every New Year's Day to bring good luck for the coming year. All the way back to the days of the Pharaoh, blackeyed peas have been a symbol of luck and fortune. The superstition is that those who eat blackeyes, an inexpensive and modest food, show their humility and save themselves from the wrath of the heavens because of the vanity they might have. Blackeyed peas are neither a pea nor a bean. They are lentils.
