The Queen of Wink just returned from her mommy and daddy's, where she partook in the traditional New Year's food, like black eyed peas and cabbage.The Queen asked me if Washingtonians partook of these foods at New Years.
Well.
At least she had the common sense to ask. Gar the Texan lacked that common sense when he asked me about black eyed peas.
I think it was in 2002, maybe 2003, Gar the Texan and I were going up to Turner Falls in Oklahoma. It was a few days before New Years.
Gar the Texan asked me if I was having trouble finding my black eyed peas this year.
I had no idea what this meant and feared he was slipping into the incoherency of one of his attacks of the vapors, which, ironically he did, shortly thereafter, but not before I told him I had no idea what black eyed peas were, besides Fergie's singing group.
Gar the Texan was shocked to learn that the entire civilized world did not believe you had to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day to guarantee you'd have good luck during the New Year.
Gar the Texan was in all sorts of panic states due to fearing he'd not find black eyed peas in time to stave off a year of bad luck.
But, you just have had a year of real bad luck, so what good do these peas do you, I asked?
Before Gar the Texan could answer that question he started to have an attack of the vapors. I had to find him a Burger King so he could have a Whopper Burger before he went into total diabetic shock.
I never did get an answer to the what good did the peas do you question.
Since then Gar the Texan's luck has gotten even worse. Nowadays he finds himself married to a German 20 years his junior, who can't speak English. Which works out okay for Gar the Texan. Just today he was bragging about wearing a t-shirt that says, "I do everything the voices in my wife's head tell me to do."
My mom subscribed to the notion that black eyed peas are/were supposed to bestow upon the eater good luck for the new year. I have no idea were the superstition came from. As for me, I enjoy black peas just for themselves. Hot peas a little tabasco sauce and a little cheddar cheese makes a fine quick meal.
ReplyDeleteTwister----
ReplyDeleteI saw a stack of black eyed peas today at Wal-Mart. With a BIG Black Eyed Peas sign. Now that I've read your easy to follow recipe, I regret I did not buy me some black eyed peas. Maybe tomorrow. I take it you do not subscribe to mom's black eyed pea beliefs. You seem like a bit of a rebel over all sorts of things. Are you sure you're Texan?
In hindsight (har har), black eyed peas and cabbage seems like a cruel trick played by the parental units for generations to cause some kind of indoor air pollution.
ReplyDeleteMaybe after everyone in the house has a healthy helping of black eyed peas and cabbage they all feel real lucky just to go outside.
Gar---
ReplyDeleteYou and your black eyed pea beliefs were discussed over lunch today. Did you hear your ears burning?
What? Why wasn't I invited? Anytime someone is discussing my beliefs I should be invited.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall any burning sensations. I did eat my peas yesterday though.
Sorry Gar, I thought you were invited. My bad.
ReplyDeleteGar & Durango,
ReplyDeleteIf I'd known the two of you hadn't had your Black Eyed Peas I would of brought ya some. Mommy gave me two quarts, they're in the freezer.
Gar----
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, you were not invited to lunch. That was terribly rude. But, then again, I was in no mood to listen to crazy talk. That and we lunched at a place run by and frequented by LCDers. You would have been very uncomfortable. Someone may have tripped you. There were no stairs, though, so you were safe from that.