Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's a Southern Thing



Black-eyed peas for New Year's that is.

Yes, it's a southern tradition

that dates back to the Civil War.

Black-eyed peas should be eaten

on New Year's Day, don't you know.

They bring luck and prosperity for the new year.


We started with chips, salsa,

and fresh made guacamole.


A simple table set for four to

celebrate the beginning of a new year.


No need for a centerpiece as the

food will be the star of this table.


Casual Settings


Napkins of a Provencal Print



Ringed with Bands of Pewter




A Favorite Pewter Tureen



Whimsical Salad Bowl



Paired with Complementary Pewter Salad Servers



Black-eyed Peas and a Healthy Mixed Green Salad



Black-eyed Peas for the Coins



Greens for Paper Money



Cornbread for Gold



Perfect Meal for a

Lucky 2012


Dad's Black-eyed Peas with Ham Hocks

1 and 1/2 cups black-eyed peas
2 smoked ham hocks
Some salt port, diced
1 small can tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
Pepper to taste

Wash and cover peas with water. boil fast for 10-15 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes. Do not stir so that peas don't break. Add water if necessary. Add meat and simmer until tender. Add other ingredients and simmer until it tastes done. Remove bones. cut meat off the ham hocks and add back into soup. Serve with green salad and cornbread.

Joining














Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

79 comments:

  1. Looks like a great meal. I didn't grow up in the South, so I always forget the black-eyed peas until a few days after New Year's Day. Oh well. Your table looks inviting and delcious.

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  2. I love your pewter pieces, Sarah and your food looks wonderful...Christine

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  3. In MD. corn beef & cabbage is the traditional first New Year day meal. Love different traditions. Yours looks yummy!

    TTFN ~
    Have a great week ~
    Marydon

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  4. Nice simple table for the new year's meal. We had black eyed peas, cornbread, collard greens and pork chops...yummy and full of good luck! hugs, Linda

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  5. Mmmmm...mmmmmm...this looked like a delicious way to celebrate New Year's day, Sarah. Our custom is to eat lentil bean stew .. that is an Italian tradition.

    I love the little "ants" on your salad bowl..so cute!

    Wishing you a prosperous 2012 filled with many joys and blessings.

    Hugs,

    Pat

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  6. I like the Southern way (probably because I was a college student in Atlanta once ;-) Bonne annee, Sarah!
    Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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  7. Hi Sarah~ We were out-of-town for New Year's so I missed having my black-eyed peas! Love your pewter! Wishing you a Happy & Healthy New Year!

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  8. I have never had black eyed peas in my life! DH's tradition was to eat creamed herring, but I Irish fied him, so he doesn't anymore!
    Loved seeing all your pretty dishes and serving pieces. Looks like a fun evening!
    I'd take extra on the corn bread and salad, and skip the peas! :)

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  9. I love black-eyed peas. Thank you for the recipe and for inviting us for a peak at your celebration. Cherry Kay

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  10. Love me a mess of black eyed peas. Your table is perfect for New Year's. Love the pewter touches.. xo marlis

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  11. YES!!!! Black eyed peas are traditional New Year's good luck food for us, too. Of course, we're from the South, so we get it! I love your table...those napkins are fabulous as is everything else!!!

    Merry Christmas/Happy New Year/Hugs/Blessings,
    Lana

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  12. I had heard of the black-eyed peas thing, and I do it every year. (Used to not like them, but have developed a taste for them in recent years.) I didn't know about the greens for paper money and the gold. I will remember that and choose my menu accordingly in the future! My great-grandmother used to tell us to wrap a black-eyed pea in a collard green leaf and put it in our purse to bring money year round. It smells to high heaven at first, so I have learned to make it up in advance and let it "cure" in the garage for a while before putting it in my handbag! :-) Happy New Year!

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  13. That recipe for black eyed peas really caught my attention. It looks so good, and I'm not a huge fan of black eyed peas, but I do eat them on New Year's Day. I'm saving your recipe. The addition of the tomatoes and Ro-Tel sounds like a winner. Do you ever make "Texas caviar" with the peas?
    LOVe you pewter pieces. They're so beautiful.

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  14. Such a pretty table!
    I'm still trying to imagine black eyed peas - I like my molasses baked beans!

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  15. Looks like a hearty meal and a lot of fun!

    - The Tablescaper

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  16. I'm probably the only Southerner in the South who doesn't like black eyed peas! Now the guacamole, chips and cornbread I could make a meal of!! LOL! Neat tablescape!

    Happy New Year!

    Katherine

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  17. Such a yummy table! I love all your pewter! Thank you so much for visiting!

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  18. Oh Sarah what a delightful post on your diner party. I share the same tradition, cooking black-eyed peas for New Years. I learned this from my mom early on. I have to tell you I served up peas and cornbread too. Your recipe sounds and looks delicious. The starter course looks beautiful in your serving dish with such pretty colors. I love the casual table and lovely floral pattern on the pottery. The print and color on the napkins works beautifully with the pottery and Pewter. The tureen and ladle are gorgeous! One thing I would love to have a collection of. Your guests were delighted I'm sure……and very lucky!
    Best wishes for a wonderful New Year dear friend.

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  19. Yum yum! We had our black eyed peas too. My mom always insisted on cabbage for money. None of my bunch eat cabbage. Maybe I should have made some anyway if it really does bring money!
    Hope your new year is off to a great start!

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  20. Lovely table setting! I love black-eyed peas and cornbread. Do you put sugar in your cornbread? I make mine with buttermilk, bacon drippings and no sugar. Thank you for sharing your feast!
    Audrey

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  21. Love your silver and pewter pieces! And the meal looks yummy!

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  22. I never knew about the black eyed peas tradition, until this year, thanks to the brilliant blog ladies out there keeping the traditions alive. Great job! CJ

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  23. Looks like you got things just right for a lucky new year, Sarah! We substituted cabbage for the salad, but otherwise, we had the same menu. I love all your pewter! Thank you for your kind comments on my posts!

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  24. I love your Southern New Year's Celebration! And your casual table is the perfect touch. At this Northern German table - we have to have the sauerkraut and cabbage. No matter what our stomach tells us!

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  25. When you described this dinner over the phone I was salivating, now I've seen the the finished dishes I insist you send some over tout suite!

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  26. I'm afraid I'm going to have to live with what ever luck comes my way without the help of black-eyed peas. Yuck! I hope not being from the South will negate the worst of the bad luck for me. ☺
    If presented with the choice of Southern black-eyed peas or Haggis for Hogmanay I'd probably have to go with the peas. Where do people come up with such weird things for New Years? I think I'll stick to caviar and Champagne.

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  27. Your food looks so gooooood!

    Happy New Year!

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  28. Looks so yummy, Sarah! We had our collards and peas, too! Can't hurt! Happy New Year!...hugs...Debbie

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  29. I've never heard greens for paper money, but it makes sense. I will try to do that from now on.

    I did a post about Texas Caviar as a way to get in your black eye peas for New Years. That's my favorite way of eating them.

    By the way, I am visiting your blog after you left a very sweet comment on ours. Thank you for visiting us. I am glad I dropped by. We will be following your blog now. *love * the name.

    Eldarose from http://re-inventedstyle.blogspot.com

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  30. Hi Sarah! Yummy! That's the kind of meal we have for New Year's Day, except the guacamole and salsa. I love that idea! Your dishes and serving pieces are so cute and those napkins! Love 'em! ;)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  31. Looks like you Southerners sure know how to usher in a New Year in style.

    Everything look just beautifully wonderful.

    God bless and have yourself a fantastic 2012 sweetie!!! :o)

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  32. How creative! And yummy! Those blackeyed peas look so good!
    I'm always surprised to see what everyone does for holiday eating in different parts of the world, and the reasons behind what they do! The lesson is very interesting!
    Thanks again for joining the party!
    Blessings, Doni

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  33. Your setting was beautiful and the black eyed peas sound yummy! We had lentil soup.....which is also suppose to bring wealth....fingers crossed!
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  34. Sarah,
    Just an absolutely perfect meal for New Year's. We had 13 bean soup with black eyed peas! Love that you had a green salad and cornbread too! Makes me want to go home to the south!
    Thanks fro sharing!
    Happy New Year!
    Miss Bloomers

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  35. Sarah! What a cute table. I love your pewter pieces and your soup bowls. We made sure we had black-eyed peas in our Hoppin John along with collard greens and corn bread --- here's wishing for a most wonderful year of 2012!

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  36. Oh yes, gotta have those black-eyes peas.....and here in the south the collard greens to go with them!

    Love the table setting - that salad bowl is delightful - bet you get many comments on that when serving company Sarah.

    Well here's to all that prosperity eating the right things should bring...............but also to good health and much happiness for all in 2012.

    Hugs - Mary

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  37. Sounds like a yummy meal to share with family and friends. Happy new year.

    Danielle

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  38. A lucky, and tasty start to a new year!
    Happy New Year Sarah!
    xo Cathy

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  39. Your recipe for black eyed peas sounds fabulous! It would not be New Year's Day if we did not have our black eyed peas! A must!

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  40. I just pinned your recipe. I have not served Black Eyed Peas because I didn't have a good recipe. Your's looks terrific. :)

    Thank you for sharing.
    Happy New Year!
    ~Liz

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  41. Hope you have a wonderful new year! Love your dishes and black eyed peas recipe! Sounds yummie!
    Blessings My friend,

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  42. Sarah, This is the first time in years we didn't have the traditional New Years meal. Your black eye peas sound delicious and the bowl with ants is adorable.
    xo,
    Sherry

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  43. Great to have you be a part of Seasonal Sundays. Love those dishes and napkins.

    - The Tablescaper

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  44. You meal looks delicious. I love the napkins and the pewter. Dianne

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  45. Hi, Sarah. Thanks for visiting--brought me to your lovely blog. I didn't know about black-eyed peas for new year's! My MIL taught me about pork and sauerkraut, so that's what we have, but I'm always open to trying something new! And that pewter tureen....gorgeous! ~Zuni

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  46. Love your pretty napkins Sarah and the black eyed peas sound great! I went with pork and sauerkraut this New Year's. Happy 2012:@)

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  47. Good morning Sarah!

    Oh my YES!! Gotta have the black-eyed peas and corn bread. We added pork chops (so we could eat "high on the hog" all year) and cabbage for the "green"...I love me "some" Southern traditions!!

    Your meal looked great...makes me want to do a REpeat...thanks for sharing!

    Here's hoping that 2012 will be a wonderful year for you and yours!

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  48. Ooo, Sarah . . . I had my black-eyed peas . . . it wouldn't be January 1st without 'em! Thanks for sharing your beautiful blues.

    Happy Blue Monday!

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  49. Oh Yum! Everything looks so good! Love the pewter pieces and the pretty linens. Happy Blue Monday!

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  50. We just had bean soup yesterday.
    My BLUE is my entry, please come and see. Have a great week.

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  51. Happy New Year and Happy blue Monday. lovely arrangement and the beans looks good

    Here is my BM entry

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  52. What a fantastic spread for New Years, everything looks SOOO good. Your table is beautiful. Happy New Year and Blue Monday.
    Ann

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  53. I like the sound of this recipe - I'll have to try it! Happy New Year. Sally

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  54. Oh, yum!!! Getting hungry here:)


    Visiting for BM!

    Here's my share-hope you can stop by..


    http://www.heavenly-dreams.com/7366-blog-photo-challenge-enfamil-infant-formula/

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  55. Sounds like a pea soup that I would love. I think it is so fun to have a simple traditional meal like this that represents good luck. Your pewter tureen is just outstanding. I also wish you good luck and good fortune in 2012! We need it don't we?

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  56. You started the year out right! Those peas look scrumptious!

    And, you always have the most delightful table setting.
    Rhonda

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  57. Your black-eyed peas looks some kind of good. I hope that they bring you a very lucky year!

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  58. Sarah, we had our black eyed peas, cornbread and cabbage. I hope we all have good luck in 2012. Love those napkins and the pretty pewter napkin rings, and what pretty salad servers. Thank you so much for posting my party button. laurie

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  59. Hej! Är så glad att du hittat till min blogg och för dina varma och uppskattande kommentarer. Är inte så bra på att skriva på engelska så jag hoppas du kan översätta det här. Vilka smaskiga bilder du hade på din blogg, blir ju hungrig..smiler.
    Ha en fortsatt fin vecka!
    Kram Pia

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  60. Definitely Southern! It's blackeyed peas and cabbage for us on New Years, usually accompanied by sweet potato casserole and ham!
    Love your pewter and the cute bowl with the ants running around!
    (Popping in from Rednesday)

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  61. Sarah, this looks wonderful! I love black eyed peas and you have everything so beautifully displayed.

    Happy New Year!

    Barb

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  62. Hi Sarah!

    I got a kick out of reading about your New Year traditions as well as some in the comments. I think I'll pass on tucking those peas in my purse, though. LOL I've actually never EATEN black eyed peas. I may have to try your recipe soon.

    Hope things are going well for you.
    Any special plans for celebrating your birthday this month??

    hugs,
    Rett

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  63. Hi Miss Sarah! Hope your New year is going well. My near and dear Southern friend had us over for New years day, and of course black eyed peas where on the menu. I never had them before, but I LOVED them. She made friend southern pork chops, and collards to go along..oh and of course corn bread too. OH my it was delish! Your meal looks scrumptious too!

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  64. Oh I love bean soup. WE always have black-eyed peas for new years. Yes, it is a southern thing and one that you just have to have. Great recipe. Hugs, Marty

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  65. Great post Sarah but you know you spelled "thing" wrong. It's actually "thang". :) I almost forgot the black eyed peas on New Year's day 'cause the other half decided he wanted a steak to start the new year instead of our usual fare. I did remember though and made a combo of the black eyed peas, snaps and rice. Not bad! :) Happy New Year.

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  66. As always, your table is adorable.
    I wouldn't miss eating black-eyes on NY's day for a million dollars. I gotta do all I can do to get the good luck. :))
    xoxo bj

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  67. I love black-eye peas for new years! We usually have that with collards, corn bread, rice and a meat! And of course sweet tea! Yours looks wonderful - making me hungry - Thank you for sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  68. What a wonderful spread! We had black eyed peas on NY's day too. They were so good, and made me realize that I don't know why I only make them on New Years! I used organic peas (beans;) and they were wonderful. Beans and jalapeno cornbread- my favorite!

    joan

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  69. Happy new year to you! I love the pewter serving pieces!!

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  70. Sarah-Finally had time to browse through your blog. It is wonderful. Love, Stephanie

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  71. Happy New Year, dear Sarah.

    As far as I can recall, I have had black-eyed peas, collard greens, fresh pork and cornbread every New Year's Day of my life.

    And, it is always delicious!!!

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  72. Just popping in. Haven't visited you for a while and wanted to say Happy New Year! You meal looks lovely and the recipe for Black-Eyed Peas hearty and healthy. Wishing you the best in 2012.

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  73. Hi sweet Sarah! Oh, those black eyed peas are still looking yummy to me! :)
    Thanks for popping in to see me and I'll be looking forward to seeing your blues.
    Be a sweetie,
    shelia ;)

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  74. Hi lovely lady.
    How did I miss your New Years Eve party. It seems like my Tablescapes take a lot of work. I do try to get back to ever one with a comment. Looks like you and your family all had a great time !!! Good for you and I hope you have a wonderful New Year from my home to yours sweet lady.
    XXOOO Diane

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  75. This sounds really delish, Sarah! I know we would love it as it's a little spicy....yum!

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Thank you to each of you who take the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate each and every one and will respond to any questions. Your notes are the only way I know who has stopped in for a visit.