Sassafraspete's pork butt saga

Bird · Dec 31, 2004

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

Of course, I love my blackeyed peas year round, but it's an old southern tradition (at least where I came from) to have blackeyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck in the coming year. When we spent the school year at Northwestern University ('71-'72), we couldn't find any blackeyed peas in the grocery stores there, so when we came home for Christmas I bought a case of them to take back with us. And on New Year's Eve we had a big party, potluck dinner, etc. and my wife fixed a BIG pot of blackeyed peas with diced ham in them and those Yankees ate every bite of them. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I still haven't figured out why they haven't become more popular up north.

sassafraspete · Dec 31, 2004

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

Bird, you could have been describing some of the yankees in my family. After my wife got me growing them, and of course we share the garden with our families....my mom and dad became big fans, as did my oldest brother. I now prefer them with cornbread versus our traditional northern white beans. It's just what you grow up eating I think.

And another thing, they are so easy to pick. The first time I grew them I couldn't believe that the blackeyed and crowder peas grow above the foilage...sticking right up in the air for you to grab. No bending over looking thru the bush.

Egon · Dec 31, 2004

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

Something about the real wood fire process that seems to possess many of of us.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ronjhall · Dec 31, 2004

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

 Texas A&M and Tennessee play in the Cotton Bowl. 
I thought there was only one Texas team playing tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Rose Bowl.
May the BEST TEAM win. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rpeter · Dec 31, 2004

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

The "best" teams do not play on New Year's day any more. What a crock......

CtRick · Jan 2, 2005

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

( but it's an old southern tradition (at least where I came from) to have blackeyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck in the coming year. )

My parents are from Italy, and the tradition where they're from is lentil beans and sausage on New Years. Isn't it interesting how two different parts of the world can have the same tradition, adjusted for native foods?

Bird · Jan 2, 2005

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

( so easy to pick )

Yes, that is one big advantage to them. Even in the south where most folks like blackeyed peas, tastes vary. I like any of them, but my first choice is fresh ones with some "snaps" in them. But a neighbor that I let pick his own from my garden only wanted the ones that were large and fully developed with no snaps at all. And my brother and his wife prefer the dried ones.

sassafraspete · Jan 2, 2005

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

I made a passing comment to my wife about your southern tradition, and behold...she drags a bag of dried blackeyed peas and says that sounds like a good idea. So, we had blackeyed peas and ham for new years day. If there was such a tradition for us, I think more often than not we would have cooked cabbage and corned beef.

Anyhow, I still have plenty of BBQ left over from the new yrs eve bash ....looks like I will be eating BBQ sandwiches for a week. Not complaining though......

A whole pile of new seed catalogs came in the mail this week. Hmmmmm , maybe I'll order some crowders this year to plant .....

On a sad note... I have to go back to work tomorrow.... Argggggg....retirement is starting to sound better every day....

Bird · Jan 2, 2005

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

( looks like I will be eating BBQ sandwiches for a week. Not complaining though )

I agree; that's certainly nothing to complain about. I don't mind "left overs" at all. In fact, my wife made a beef/vegetable soup today from yesterday's left overs here. And there's certainly nothing wrong with corned beef and cabbage either. As a matter of fact, we're past due to have a good meal of that again.

Egon · Jan 2, 2005

Re: Sassafraspete\'s pork butt saga

Pete:

Retirment is a delusion. You will find there are no coffee breaks, no holidays and the Boss Man is a real driver. Thinks nothing of 12 hour days with no overtime. There are no weekends off either.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif