This month's random fact introduces us to a familiar favorite legume, in a fascinating new light! Which one in particular you ask? Why the Black-eyed Pea, what else? And before we go any further with our facts, let's set one very important one straight. The black eyed pea, is not in fact a pea at all! It is a BEAN. That's right, not a pea, a bean. Think Pinto or Lima!
Where are they from you ask? This tasty calcium and fiber packed bean was introduced to the Southern United States sometime in the late 1600's and originally hails all the way from India! We have an ancient babylonian mistranslation to thank for the Jewish belief that they bring good luck when eaten. Technically you would have to eat fenugreek to become lucky....Yep, I did say fenugreek.... Personally I'm sticking with the bean. The American tradition dates back to the Civil War era and we actually have a bunch of snobby Northern Soldiers to thank for it! During the Civil War the northern side scavenged the south for food during the fighting taking everything they good that they considered "edible" and destroying everything else. They stuck their noses up at this paragon of nutrition, deciding that it was not even worth the trouble to destroy! Then called "field peas" but the Northerners, they were deemed only usable for animal feed or "humble food" and therefore not worth their attention. Southerners consider them to be good luck the North would not touch them and the practice of ingesting them for luck got it's start.
So, whether you eat them because you are Jewish and your ancestors translated it the wrong way or because it will keep the Northerners from overrunning your home (though I seriously doubt that Canada has any real interest in invading) having a serving of black eyed peas for good luck can't hurt anything, and might even help at least a little with that New Year's Resolution to lose that last pesky ten pounds that you put back on over Christmas!
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