How Black-Eyed Peas Became A New Year's Day Tradition

New Year's is a holiday beset with well-worn traditions and a hefty dose of superstition. Whether you celebrate by eating twelve grapes under a table for good luck or dining on a plate of cabbage and corned beef, there is no shortage of ways to conjure up some good will to cover the latest trip around the sun. In the American South, however, there is really only one way to ring in the new year: a warm bowl of black-eyed peas. The hearty, nutritious beans (yes, black-eyed peas are actually beans) are often served on the first of January as a way to ensure luck and financial prosperity for those who consume it. 

Of course, exact traditions vary with some popping a coin into the pot for added fortune, and others counting out their peas to number 365 to make sure that each day has its own dose of luck. Its place at the dinner table on the holiday is more than just aesthetic; it is reflective of a past marked by slavery and a Civil War that plunged many Americans into hunger and want. No one narrative fully explains the tradition. However, the food did serve as a steady source of nutrition for many in the South over the centuries and became a lifeline for many during economic hardship. So, it's no wonder as to why a bowl of beans can mean so much. To better understand its importance, we'll need to dive into its history.

Like many classic American dishes, black-eyed peas actually have roots far outside of the country. The legumes actually originate in the north-western region of Africa. They have been cultivated and incorporated in dishes for hundreds of years, across both Africa and Asia. The beans were brought to the Americas during the slave trade. Once they made it over to the Americas, the beans were used to feed the impoverished, enslaved, and livestock. As with many Southern food staples, this inexpensive ingredient was an essential part of the enslaved individual's diet, alongside other thrifty meals like collard greens and cornbread.

However, black-eyed peas did not become more widely consumed in the South until the Civil War. It was around this time that the bean became synonymous with good luck. As the story goes, General William T. Sherman, along with his troop of Union soldiers, destroyed many food silos held by Southerners on his March to the Sea, leaving many to starve. But Sherman and his crew neglected to destroy fields and stores of black-eyed peas, as they considered the crop as only being good enough to feed livestock. After the rest of their food was destroyed, Southerners began to view the remaining black-eyed peas as a symbol of prosperity, endurance, and good fortune.

But how did this good-luck food turn into a specific New Years' tradition? Well, that's another story entirely. Most likely, the practice of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's is a convergence of two separate cultural traditions. Black-eyed peas have been widely consumed in North and Western Africa for many centuries, and were often considered a lucky food, able to shield those who ate them from evils. And though this connection is purely symbolic, black-eyed peas are a bit of a superfood. Known as "poor man's meat" in some regions of Africa, the beans are both highly nutritious and an incredibly resilient crop. So, they certainly bring a fair dose of good gastronomic luck to those who have access to the delicious legume.

Still, this good luck didn't cross over into holiday tradition until West-African and European customs collided in the American South. Many British colonists in the American South celebrated New Year's with the tradition of the "first-footer," which noted that, for good luck's sake, the first person to cross over one's doorstep should have dark hair or dark features. Supposedly, this dark-complexioned stranger soon melded into a black-eyed pea, which is just as good as a black-eyed stranger, we suppose. Thus, a hearty bowl of beans became a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year. Their connection to coins and currency is a holdover from West African tradition, and certainly further contributed to the serving up of a hot bowl of black-eyed peas on the first of January.

Now, the exact preparation of black-eyed peas for New Year's Day varies based on family and regional tradition. Often, the legumes are cooked in broth, with the addition of a ham hock and greens for flavor. You can cook the beans from the can or frozen, but many choose to soak the bean overnight and cook them over the course of several hours, letting the salty flavor of the ham hock suffuse throughout the beans. Cabbage, a kale variety, and collards are popular additions to the beans, which are often served with cornbread (skillet cornbread is best). But one dish in particular hops to mind when preparing the beans for New Year's. Hoppin' John is a popular recipe made with black-eyed peas and is often served on the holiday. 

The exact recipe for Hoppin' John varies but, broadly speaking, it consists of black-eyed peas cooked with ham and veggies. It is served over a bed of rice, though some recipes call for cooking the rice with the beans. Sometimes a ham hock is used, while other recipes call for bacon. You'll need something salty and hearty to really give your meal a hop of flavor. Hoppin' John is a traditional New Year's food, bringing with it all of the lore regarding luck and prosperity. But most of all, it's delicious and really the perfect meal to sop up all of those New Year's Eve regrets.