New Year's Day

If New Year’s Eve was Dick Clark and Times Square on television, then New Year’s Day was characterized by 1. The Rose Bowl Parade, 2. Football, 3. Taking down the Christmas tree, and 4. Eating black-eyed peas for good luck.

This year, I missed the parade (I was scoping out recipes!) I didn’t get the tree down. I watched some football. I also ate black-eyed peas. Three out of four New Year’s Day traditions maintained. Not too bad!

The actual news flash is this: for the first time ever, I actually enjoyed the peas. Seriously, I have managed (just barely) to swallow and keep those nasty, dirt tasting things down year after year. My grandmother was not thrilled when a few years ago I absolutely refused to eat another one. “What about for good luck?” she asked. Seriously, what is lucky about being forced to eat something revolting every year? Nope, I was done with the black-eyed pea tradition. (*Remember that traditions are old because they are good and not necessarily good because they are old.)

I got a bit of a queasy feeling yesterday morning when Jerry suggested the traditional New Year’s Day meal from the Commander’s Kitchen cookbook. (That may have been the reason why I was making Brandy Flips in the middle of the afternoon. But really, how could a concoction of brandy and raw eggs ever make the peas better, I ask you?) The ham sounded great. I love cabbage, so that was no problem either. Ah, but the peas? Seriously, there must be a conspiracy to make me eat them. Is there a United Black-eyed Pea Growers Union? Will they begin dumping tons of them on my lawn if I publicly voice my dislike, no HATE, for the peas? Let them. I double-dog dare them.

You see, my wonderful husband did what no other person on the planet had been able to do. He made the peas edible. Better than edible. I had three servings. I ate, willingly, more peas last night than I have ever eaten in my life. I will be the luckiest girl all year long!!!

The meal was simple. Carl said it was a “very southern meal” and that “meals don’t get any more southern than this.” I guess he knows about southern meals, but there is a Yankee or two (distant, but there) in his family tree so I wonder if he is a trustworthy “authority” on Southern Cuisine (*love you, Carl!). Honey Mustard Ham with Black-Eyed Peas and Cabbage was really incredible. You sauté the dried peas and cook them in the same pan with the ham, onions, celery, garlic, and bell peppers. This will knock your socks off.

Dessert was Bread Pudding Souffle with Whiskey Sauce. We bought new ramekins for the occasion. I loved it because it was very tasty, very pretty, and very easy. Gotta make this one too, friends. Jerry served the Irish Coffee with it. I preferred the coffee with the Crepes Souffle Praline. I think that the bread pudding was a bit sweeter than the crepes and so the coffee needed more sugar to balance it. Still, very, very good.

Happy New Year, indeed!