(…Maybe complicated should be my OLW for 2024.)
5:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day 2024 found me preparing the vegetables needed for the vegetarian version of black-eyed peas I planned to cook for the first time. I’d pinned the recipe I’d start with and added what I know from a whole lot of bean-based meals: leeks; celery; double-up everything else.
They may be called “peas” but these marvels-with-a-vision are truly in the bean family, pulses. “Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. Pulses grow in pods and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.” This insight comes from pulses.org—who knew?
But the question, “Why are you making them?” Not complicated. And beyond, “I know it’s traditional,” I truly can’t answer my husband, hence, “Black-Eyed Peas Have a Complicated History.” Not to be a pedant as I begin my blogging journey this year, but knowing why drives me forward. Certainly you could read the article yourself, but I’m guessing most people won’t bother—unless they, too, have decided to embrace this tradition. So, the highlight reel:
Peas symbolize coins,
The collards that accompany?
Paper money.
Sherman’s marching troops ignored
these lowly peas, fodder not fit
for any but the slaves.
Conquerers eyes remained
closed to potential.
Left behind in devastated fields,
they fed the Confederate
troops, saved them from starvation,
this slaves’ staple.
Tradition, our history?
It’s complicated.
Jump off; Find Wings 
This is fascinating! Very illuminating poetry to conclude your slice – I got a chill with the lines,
“Conquerers eyes remained
closed to potential.”
History is complicated – and I love the word ‘complicated’ for an OLW, for this year in particular. Everything feels up-in-the-air and multi-layered. I totally relate to “knowing why drives me forward.” I have long made black-eyed-peas and greens for New Year’s and also ‘knew’ the correlation to money…however, I did not know much more than that. Happy New Year!
I, too, thought there was some money symbolism but had no idea about the rest of it. (And while I was going to choose “forgo” as my OLW, I now think “complicated” is perfect! I’m using it as my mantra.
Trisha, yes, complicated is right. Such an excellent poetic summary of the article. I grew up eating black eyed peas on New Years, with my mom’s family who had roots in the south. It is complicated, to be sure. My best book of 2023 has been Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. What a book that helps frame our complicated history. Peace to you in 2024. By the way, did you enjoy the peas? I never liked them as a kid.
They are delicious! I appreciate Caste but was bowled over by The Warmth of Other Suns.
Peace and Possibilities for all things good in 2024 to you. A gift to have you in my life, truly. (I will always remember Columbus!)
The art, the recipe, the history, the science, the poetry…
And you taught me something new. Yes to complexity and embracing it whether we want to or not.
I learned something, too, my favorite occurrence every day… and there’s so much to be considered. Keeps us on our toes! Happy New Year!
Learning the history of why certain foods are eaten on certain days is really interesting. In our part of PA pork and sauerkraut is the good luck meal to eat on New Year’s Day. It dates back to German immigrants who claim pork is enjoyed because pigs look forward when they look for food rather than chickens and turkeys which scratch backward. Sauerkraut has digestive and immune-boosting properties. We have been eating this New Year’s Day meal every year since we were married.
I love food traditions. We were talking about the digestive benefits of sauerkraut yesterday. I never knew about the pig/fowl supremacy discussion. Love this!