Eating black-eyed peas, hog jowl and collard greens on New Year’s Day has long been a custom, especially in the rural south.
The custom stems from the belief that eating all three ensures good luck in the coming year. This custom dates back to ancient times – or at least eating black-eyed peas does.
The Egyptians and Babylonians held the belief that eating the peas would appease their gods and bring good luck.
The Jews from far back in history ate the peas to show humility before God.
Hog jowl – or the hog’s cheek – was eaten in hopes of monetary gain; the fatter the hog jowl, the fuller your wallet would be.
Collard greens when eaten with cornbread would ensure more “green money” – or, as we would say, “folding money” – would be coming our way. Eating cornbread was to ensure that you would have “pocket money” or “spending money.”
If the cornbread was to bring prosperity, then I should be a multi-millionaire, as I have eaten it since being weaned from milk.
One other food that some have added to the New Year’s menu is cornmeal gravy, which is made using cornmeal rather than flour. The Wiggins family that I married into makes cornmeal gravy.
But it doesn’t have any particular belief connected with it; we just like it.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, mcclungs@email.com.