Southerners say it's good luck for New Year's
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- January first means one thing is on the supper table for many across the south: black-eyed peas.
Someone, somewhere said eating them was good luck and the tradition is still going strong.
"It looks like everybody in town is eating black-eyed peas today," said Mary Jo Bauman.
On January first, the Calico County restaurant went through 100 pounds of black-eyed peas, ten times more than usual.
"New Year's Day we give them away. They can get a taste of black-eyed peas for free," said Ronnie Melton, Calico County manager.
It seems everyone is on board with the tradition.
"(On) New Year's Day if you don't eat black-eyed peas you're going to come out with some, bad luck," said Colonel Jarnevic.
"If I don't eat anything else, I eat black-eyed peas," said Bauman.
"I had them for breakfast this morning," said Melton.
That is almost everyone.
"I believe in them, but I don't like the taste of them," said Skyler Seymour.
So how did the tradition begin anyway?
"I have no idea," said Melton.
"Where I came from in Kansas, we don't have a tradition of eating black-eyed peas," said Jarnevic.
"During the Civil War the Northern army destroyed all the vegetables in the south but they didn't destroy the black-eyed peas because they didn't know they were a vegetable," said Bauman.
Either way, they all agree, there is something special about black-eyed peas on New Year's Day.
But at least one person is willing to risk not eating them.
"If I wish with the black-eyed peas then I wish by myself, like what my tradition is for me, then I just wouldn't feel right and I thought it might bring me bad luck," said Seymour.
All that is great... but how do they taste?
"I love them," said Bauman. "Black-eyed peas and cornbread."
"I love them, they're good for you, there's a lot of protein in them," said Jarnevic.
"I had one guy eat two bowls already," said Melton.
But always the devil's advocate.
"I'm just not a fan of them," said Seymour.
Other cultures have different New Year's luck eating traditions.
It is lentils in Brazil, cabbage in Croatia and egg rolls in many Asian countries.
