Traditions/customs in Texas (black-eyed peas) (Dallas, Orange: sales, house, buy)

[texasorbust]

Traditions/customs in Texas

In another thread TexasReb talked about Black-eyed peas are a custom on New Years Day!

This is the second time I've heard this from a Texan. I would love to know about different traditions that are used or from Texas. Please share your family traditions. I would really enjoy reading about them.

TexasReb,
I would love to take you up on that recipe and a little insight on that custom.

Thanks

[momof2dfw]

Yes, we MUST have Black-Eyed Peas on New Years Day for it brings good luck. Now don't just go and open up a can, heat it up and serve it, YUCK! Fresh peas are out of season but you can get frozen (buy several days in advance as by the day before you won't be able of find ANY of ANY kind on the stores shelves). I use frozen from the store unless I still have some frozen fresh peas. I cook mine in the crockpot add water, salt pork, chopped onions and salt and pepper and cook real slow for all day or night. As some of them start to get soft I use the back of a spoon to squash some of them to make the juice thicker. Serve w/ cornbread and green onions.

Another Southern tradition for New Years Day is collard greens. Not real fond of these so I'll make sure I have some spinach for those of us that must have our "greens" for money but don't care for collards. You buy collards fresh in the produce section. Don't get the wilted icky looking ones. They should be good and firm. Wash and dry then cook them in water w/ salt pork and salt & pepper (okay, there is something else and I can't remember as I only do these once a year). They will cook up like spinach and serve w/ pepper sauce. Pepper sauce is the liquid juice that is in a bottle w/ small green peppers.

FOOTBALL. FOOTBALL. FOOTBALL
OCTOBER 6TH
Fair Park at the Cotton Bowl
Dallas, TEXAS
The Texas Longhorns defeat those yankees from ok

To get acquainted with the Longhorn Band and the UT songs
The University of Texas Longhorn Band
(I'm listening to it right now )

For all of the gear you will need from now until eternity that you will wear every weekend and ALL week long leading up to the 6th
Longhorns LTD

Then of course there is Friday Night Football. Attend one of the many local high school football games and get to know your neighbors. These really are a BLAST!

[Lakewooder]

BigTex.com

[texasorbust]

WOW!!! That is what I'm talking about. Thank you for the great post.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

BigTex.com

Oh yes, THE STATE FAIR!

While at the Fair one MUST consume at least one Fletchers Corny Dog. Oh yummmmm. Then continue to eat your way thru the Fair trying out all of the goodies. This years fried new food is Fried Coolkie Dough. I think I'll like this better than I did the Fried Coke. Go to the Food & Fiber Building and see Elsie and Beauregard and get some goodie samples (those Borden rolls are SOOOOO GOOD) then there is a little Texas store in there to pick up all kinds of stuff. All of the kids in public school get a Fair ticket for free and a day off from school to go. Parking is not an issue at all and I don't mind driving down there at all. Really easy. Now for the rides the Texas Star is a you MUST do it at least once ride. The line is always long and it costs the most tickets but you MUST ride it.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by texasorbust

Traditions/customs in Texas

In another thread TexasReb talked about Black-eyed peas are a custom on New Years Day!

This is the second time I've heard this from a Texan. I would love to know about different traditions that are used or from Texas. Please share your family traditions. I would really enjoy reading about them.

TexasReb,
I would love to take you up on that recipe and a little insight on that custom.

Thanks

Hey there texasorbust!

Been kinda tied up today, and haven't had much of a chance to reply. But I promise to give you a bit more information/history on that old custom tomorow or so! For the moment though, let me just it is not just a Texas custom, but one common in all the Southern states.

There are several "theories" as to how it got started, most of them traceable back to the War Between The States (or "Civil War" as some call it! LOL).

Howerver, there are a few sources who claim the whole thing about it being something associated with the Confederacy, was actually an ingenious marketing ploy in the early part of the 20th century on the part of an East Texas canning company, designed to increase sales throughout the region by concocting a tale making that connection in a way that appealed to "Southern patriotism and pride."

I hate to leave it at that, but gotta get back to work. Again, soon as I have a chance I will give some details on all this. The second one is really very interesting!

Let me quickly mention too though that momof2dwf is right in noting that many Texans and people in other parts of the South make some kind of greens to go with it (cabbage is also popular). The peas are for "luck" and the "greens" (or cabbage) for "money."

More soon, y'all!

[kt2le]

Black-eyed peas and cornbread - heavenly! I second everything Momof2dfw said. Why, everybody knows they bring good luck - no question about it. That's why every New Year's Eve party and most homes have pots simmering. She's, also, correct about the grocery shelves being barren on New Year's Day. All black-eyed peas, from frozen to canned, are GONE. I understand there are some Yankees and other poor misguided souls who don't understand, but that's okay....means more for ME! LOL!

My mother loved greens and I remember, as a kid, her stinking up the house cooking a pot. I thought they smelled awful and tasted worse. As an adult, however, I LOVE them. The do have a not-so-pleasant aroma...

Both are Southern traditions and, since both sides of my family came to Texas from Alabama in the mid-1800's, we've been eating stuff like this for a looooong time. My mouth is watering so I think I'll make me a big pot this weekend - with cornbread, too, of course. I'm not sure I can wait 'til then, though!

[Lakewooder]

My grandmother used to also make "chow-chow" to go with the peas. She was born in Alabama but came to Texas in 1903 on the train. She was more wont to make turnip greens rather than collards. I don't remember her ever making grits, though...

But she did make the best Fried Green Tomatoes -- you can get those at the Fair (Centennial Building) or anytime at The Alligator Cafe on Live Oak Welcome to The Alligator Café - The best Cajun and Creole cooking in East Dallas! - 4416 Live Oak, Dallas TX 75204 - 214.821.6900 (owner Ivan Pugh, Woodrow '87).

[momof2dfw]

Yep, those greens do stink up the house. That is why I make sure to have plenty of other aromas going on to cover up those. I always knew something "green" for New Years Day for "money" but never collards. My husbands family is from Alabama and that is when I heard collards were what they fixed. Know others from East Texas that do collards or rather "greens". Just say "greens" and people will know what you mean. For instance here is a rundown of the menu at my house on New Years Day when we invite all of our friends to come over and share in great hospitality, football and to start off the new year w/ friends.

Baked Ham
Grilled Chicken Breasts
Collard Greens
Spinach
Homemade Cream Corn
Mashed Potatos
Sweet Potato Casserole
Macoroni & Cheese (not that Kraft stuff either)
Salad made of Romaine lettuce, walnuts/pecans, dried cranberries and crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Yeast Rolls & butter
Pies - chocolate, coconut cream
Pumpkin roll
cookies

[Lakewooder]

Actually I love the aroma of blackeyed peas and greens (someone explain 'pot' liquor!).

I was once on a plane going to Europe on New Year's Eve and my mother made a big batch of blackeyed peas for me. The flight attendants put them in cups and passed them out to everyone else in first class.