Hello my Foodie Friends!
It’s that time again for us here at Compliments to the Chef to thank all the wonderful acquaintances that have helped us throughout the year. As Clarence said to George Bailey in the film It’s a Wonderful Life: “No man is a failure who has friends.” We have foodie friends which is even better. So many great people have come through our door with questions and suggestions about cooking and culinary tools that are needed. We believe that we have a great extended family who shares in our joy of cooking and creating our own masterpiece meals. As we get ready to ring in the New Year and welcome 2022, memories of some New Year traditions come to mind. Upon meeting my wife Paula, I had the opportunity to be exposed to some of the southern traditions her mother made based on her father’s background growing up in Virginia. The serving of black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day has been considered a lucky New Year’s food that dates back almost 1500 years. The tradition arrived in America during the 1930’s in Georgia and spread after the Civil War. In the Southern states, the tradition of eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day is considered good luck to bring prosperity to the New Year. The traditional meal includes collards, turnips, or mustard greens, and ham. The swelling of the black-eyed peas symbolizes prosperity; the greens symbolize money; the ham represents positive motion.
Here is a great recipe that includes all of the ingredients we hope brings good luck to you. Add a slice of cornbread, and you’ve got “peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold.”
We have wonderful round cast iron Dutch ovens from Le Creuset, Staub, Chantal, and Lodge that can help you with this wonderful dish. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, to pick up your cool tools for cooks to help with your New Year’s culinary preparations. Cook up some good luck this New Years. Have a safe and happy New Year. Cheers to a happy 2022!
Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life happens in the kitchen!”
Take Care, John & Paula
