cultural differences...

... would possibly be the best heading for lunch today. I married a man who was raised in the north, and I think the area where he grew up had a lot of Pennsylvania Dutch population and influences of their variation of life-style, eating preferences, syntax. He 's been in Georgia much longer than the years he spent in Johnstown, but some of those tastes and unfamiliar (to me) quirks remain.

I grew up eating black-eye peas on New Year's Day. I think most peopleraised in the south go along with  'tradition' that includes some form of cooked greens, like collards, as well as some form of pork, possibly cooked in with the greens. Or maybe chops or a smoked, bar-b-que pork butt. And of course you need cornbread to wipe your plate clean. I am not a greens girl. And have pretty much quit eating meat. But I dare not defy the Good Luck gods by failing to eat the peas. Apparently the combination of peas and greens signifies a greater likelihood of coming into wealth during the next twelve months. The more green stuff you eat, the greater the quantity of green paper money will fall out of the sky. Which could possibly explain my meager situation, since all I've ever been eating is the peas, an indicator of loose change.

The area of the country where my spouse grew up had traditional foods for ringing in the new year. But a profound, outrageous revelation to this little sheltered south GA ignoramous. His family always had a pork roast, cooked until it falls apart. Then add sauerkraut (homemade if available, from the big crock on the back porch), let that all cook together until the flavors blend. Then serve the pork and kraut over a big pile of mashed potatoes. If you dish this up onto white plates, you will notice that everything in front of you is the same color. Good luck in finding your food.

So what we had today covered all the bases: pork loin, cooked overnight in the crock pot. Then add a can of sauerkraut. Cook a pile of new potatoes, add butter and milk, smash all together, until mostly smooth. I would not ever, no, never think of waking up on January 1 and failing to eat black eye peas. So I brought home a small bag of frozen peas yesterday, that I cooked and enjoyed for lunch.

Making me remember when I first got married, started cooking in my own kitchen - it never occurred to me that you don't have to cook the Whole Bag of dried peas. You can put them dried on the shelf, in a jar and save for another time. I did not know this. So I would cook a pound of peas and we would still be eating in February. After they had turned into mush from heating and reheating.

He thought when he got up from the table today  that he had insured abundant good fortune, after eating all the things that historically, traditionally guarantee luck. And sat down to check his email. Whereupon he found he had already been awarded three million dollars from the FBI, who will be sending a debit card that will allow him to make withdrawals daily. Provided he will send a check for $375 for the processing fee.

I suggested he might have better chances if he would load right up and go to MS., spend a few days in the casino playing cards and hoping for a good run from the six decks the blackjack dealer uses.