We keep the eyes in

 

In the way of wartime, they married rather quickly, these people who would one day be my parents. But on their first New Year together they were still learning about each other. That morning the dashing Airman looked around the trailer on Edwards AFB and asked “Where are the black eyed peas?”

The bombshell beauty, wanting to be a good wife, looked confused and asked “What black eyed peas?”

Like every young couple, they had to learn each other’s family traditions. And for my dad’s family, you must eat black eyed peas on New Year’s Day to have good luck for the year. My dad was quite upset that they didn’t have, and couldn’t acquire any on that day. You had best believe this was never an issue again. 

Many people associate black eyed peas on New Years with African American culture of the US south. But I can assure you there are a lot of shared food traditions in Appalachia. It is less about the color of your skin than the limits of your pocket book and the foods you can grow yourself. So my dad’s family grew up on a lot of dried beans and greens from the garden, flavored with every last scrap of smoked piggy when they could get it. 

Some areas favor Hoppin’ John, which usually features the black eye’s served over rice. Some of the traditions say that the eyes in the peas represent coins and serving them with greens represent folding money, so together they invite wealth for the coming year. My dad preferred his cooked with a ham bone, salt and pepper. He would add some chopped raw onion and a shake or two of Tabasco sauce to his. My brother and I, California kids that we were, preferred ketchup. A side of corn bread was mandatory, but in our house the greens were not. 

I have carried this forward with my own family, but maybe not as faithfully every year. Tastes have changed and kids have more freedom to choose something else. I wonder how long this tradition will continue. 

One time I was watching the movie Hook and was suddenly hit by a phrase in the scene where the grown up Peter is first making his confused way through the pirate town. A background pirate is yelling “Get your fresh fish! We keep the eyes in to see you through the week!” That’s it, I thought, we keep the eyes in to see us through the year. 

I have a ham bone saved in my freezer and I’m going to start early to try something new, make a broth from the bone ahead of time so I can skim the fat and then add only bite size meaty bits back in to cook with the beans on January 1st. I’ll probably only do one pound of dried beans, as we aren’t expecting company this year. In my lazy, modern ways, I use a crock pot and Jiffy mix for our side of cornbread. 

So here is what is going in my pot. I won’t call it a recipe, it is more like by feel and mood. 

A bag of black eyed peas, two if there is going to be company. Look them first; that is pour them slowly over your fingers into the pot watching for stones. Mostly you don’t find small rocks from the field much anymore, but it is still good practice to look. And yes, it is properly called looking your beans. Doesn’t hurt to rinse them, too. Pre-soaking is not required. 

You want to cover them at least double with liquid. You can just put a ham bone in or you can fiddle around like I’m planning this year. Some people prefer fatback over ham. I know a family that uses smoked turkey wings. 

I like to add a bay leaf or two and some other fresh herbs. I’ll add some pepper early on, but wait till near the end to adjust the seasoning. 

That is the basics, just keep an eye that the liquid doesn’t cook out, no scorching your luck please. You can add the holy trinity (diced onion, celery, and carrots, usually precooked in a bit of fat or butter for a bit). I don’t like greens, but in the past few years I have been adding a bit of finely diced kale. Very California girl, I know, but it adds a nice bit of eye appeal. Just don’t go wild with it, like some hippy freak. 

Share your traditions. Share your stories. I wish you all luck for the coming year. If you keep the eyes in or just keep your eyes open, may we all see brighter days ahead.