@doschicos said:
DH’s family hails from East Texas, where they eat all of the above for NYD, but the reason given to me is for good luck in the coming year, a similar but not identical sentiment to above.
MIL makes cornbread in the iron skillet. DH likes it thin but crispy, but in recent years she has taken to using Jiffy mix and adding way too much sugar. When I splurge away from my low carb diet, it needs to be for something incredible, and that cornbread is definitely not worthy.
“the reason given to me is for good luck in the coming year, a similar but not identical sentiment to above.”
Yes, I can’t remember the specifics but good luck in the form of health and wealth. Each item had a significance. Something like the peas represented coins and the greens because of green in money, etc.
I am a huge fan of Trader Joe’s cornbread mix - it is the best mix out there - perfect balance of corn flavor, it is fantastic when served warm, fresh out of the oven. SIL likes to add bacon and jalapenos, which is great, too, but a slab of warm, moist cornbread adds a great touch to a buffalo chicken salad.
Here’s an article to help explain why the black eye peas, collard greens and corn bread for NY’s Day.
Sprinkle in a heavy dose of local and family traditions.
https://www.tripsavvy.com/blackeyed-peas-on-new-years-day-2212478
Interesting article but I disagree with this statement in it because winter is an historically typical time to slaughter (it certainly isn’t the warm months): “Why hog jowls? The short answer is that we eat cured pork because it’s winter time.Hog jowl is a cured product which stores well for long periods. During the winter, cured pork would be one meat that would be accessible.”
I used to love the TJ’s corn bread mix but now it tastes too sweet to me. I went out yesterday and bought some corn meal so I can make some from scratch for the first time in years!
This thread has conjured up many happy memories for me! I remember my mom crumbling cornbread in a glass of buttermilk and eating it. Not my cup of tea, but she certainly enjoyed it. I lived in Florida as a child and I never remembered the cornbread as being sweet. My mom use to fry cut up bacon and put that in the cornbread batter and then pour out the excess bacon fat, put the skillet in the oven and when it was very hot she would pour the cornbread batter in to make the bottom and edges crispy. I remember it as being delicious.
As far as having black eyed peas for New Years, I still do that. Although I just buy a can of it as no one else cares for them. My mom use to say we eat black eyed peas on New Years so hopefully we will never have less, because it is what we called poor food. My mom also said on New Years we should do a little bit of everything we want to do in the following year. Work, laugh, love, play etc.
Scmom and gearmom; I never ate them but I thought Johnny Cakes and Hoe Cakes were two different things. I read recently that hoe cakes get their name from being cooked on a heated hoe garden tool back in the day. Probably just another southern legend. As for Hush puppies, I like the savory ones with bits of onion. The legend that I was told about the birth of hush puppies is is that the old timers threw bits of fried cornmeal out the backdoor of the farm house to get the dogs to stop barking; “Hush, puppies!”
LakeWashingtonLakeWashington
12-10-2017 at 7:18 am in Parent Cafe
My southern relatives and I at times argue about the authenticity of foods like “Sweat Tea” (gag me), and vinegar pork barbecue (horrendous).
LakeWashington, I am a southern girl who has never had “sweat tea”. That sounds gross and salty 
. I do, however, love a tall glass of iced “sweet” tea. I like vinegar-based sauces on pork barbecue sandwiches, but I prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s on my ribs. I’m not a fan of sweet cornbread, but I do love my grandma’s buttermilk cornbread. Now I’m craving barbecue. YUM!
Southerner here. Cornbread has some white flour but more corn meal. We never add sugar. All dressing is homemade from the leftover cornbread. I hate tea but my girls love it super sweet ~ about 2 cups of sugar per gallon. Not a big fan of vinegar bbq. I love Sweet Baby Ray’s honey bbq.
I think that would literally make me gag. I should qualify that I normally drink my iced tea with no sweeteners at all.