a culinary history lesson- new year's traditions

New years day is a major food holiday down south. Every year we eat the same things and for good reason. The following items on a southern new years are an absolute must: black eyed peas, pork, greens (collards, mustards or turnips), and cornbread.

Pork- There are several theories and stories about why we eat pork on the first of the new year..they include:

• The story that I grew up hearing-- Pigs stand for progress because they are the only animal that "roots" forward. Chickens scratch backwards, cows stand still in the pasture, but hogs root forward. This is also the reason that we DO NOT eat chicken and beef on new years. Legend has it that if you eat chicken on the first you will be "scratching" for money all year long. 
• Another story about how pork stands for progress goes as follows: Hogs cannot turn their heads to look back, they must turn completely around to look at what is behind them. So... pigs are always looking forwards, never backwards.
• Hogs can also symbolize wealth. Back when these traditions started most all farmers had chickens, but only the wealthy farmer's could afford to have hogs. 

Black Eyed Peas are eaten for luck and prosperity in all of our endeavors in the new year. The practice of eating black eyed peas for luck dates back to the Civil War. Back then BEPs were used mainly for livestock feed. When Sherman and his troops pillaged and torched the South they also stole and destroyed most of the crops, but left behind the black eyed peas. Black eyed peas, humble but also filling, became a major food source for the surviving confederates. 

Greens symbolize paper money and cornbread stands for gold. Simple.

Starting like a week before new years all of the stores stock up on greens, cornbread mix, and smoked pork products. But no matter where you live you should be able to find all of the ingredients to make a traditional southern new years supper.

These beliefs are taken very seriously down here, so whey mess with tradition?

So for our New Year's supper I made:

Salt and Pepper Baby Back Ribs

Collards

Hoppin' John

Mac and Cheese

Plum Cornbread