Thursday, January 1, 2009

It's New Year's Day

"Went down Camino Espinoza
Gonna get me a divorce
I'm gonna split with all my money

See that girl who loves a horse


It's New Year's Day here on the border

And it's always been this way

I never do the things I oughta

Think I'll stay, it's New year's Day"


— Charlie Robison ('New Year's Day' from his CD "Good Times")

When I was a kid in Pennsylvania, New Year's Day meant sauerkraut and pork with my grandmother's fabulous potato & bread dumplings. Oh man, I can still taste those dumplings, which we kids called "lead balls." I made them once and quickly learned why we only had them once or twice a year. Ricing potatoes is or was a messy, exhausting chore. I'm sure there's some fancy-schmancy electric gizmo now that does it, but I don't have one.

Here in Texas, one ensures good luck for the coming year by eating black-eyed peas. Black-eyes are an acquired taste, to be sure, as they have an earthiness about them, not unlike that of mushrooms or truffles. Traditionally, they are cooked with ham and served with cornbread, but we are departing a bit from tradition today and cooking them with onion and grilled Italian sausage, serving them with whole wheat tortillas. Although available dry, canned or frozen, since they are grown locally, I prefer to buy them fresh.

I'm taking no chances and am having myself a BIG ole' bowl. Maybe two. Y'all help yourselves to better luck in 2009. Yum.


7 comments:

Cactus Jack Splash said...

Gotta keep those traditions going.

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!

Roni

cdncowgirl said...

Apparently the Greek thing to do is smash a pomegranite at the front door at to throw some money with it.
???
Just what my in-laws do, sometimes I think they make things up to mess with me! lol

Leah Fry said...

Wow. Pomegranates are HARD. Smashing one at the door could be hazardous to the door!

Jennifer MacNeill said...

What a great blog!
I'm in Lancaster, PA so I know all about the pork and saurkraut:)

lytha said...

mmm blackeyed peas! oh, i wish i could find them here, that is such a wonderful tradition. i like mine with tiny diced jalepenos - just a bit cuz i'm a wimp. it's been too long. *sigh*

~lytha in germany

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

I hope your New Year has started off really great and will get better and better.

I'm just playing catch up on your blog since I got behind due to my Christmas Eve accident.

~Lisa

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