I have never eaten black-eyed peas. In our family in Illinois we always had oyster stew for New Years. We could get oysters in any month with a R in the name. So not in the summer as they would not stay fresh shipped on railroad cars from the Gulf.

Thank you for posting this! My adult daughter asked me about the history of eating the peas this New Year's and I didn't know. Just did it because my Mama always had them and it is Southern tradition. When I married in 1979 and moved to Ohio ("up North") Mama INSISTED I pack China Doll black eyed peas and cornmeal....which she was pretty sure were not available in the Yankee regions. I have a hoard of them in my pantry even now....

Thank you for the history lesson! I've never had black-eyed peas, but would be willing to try them.

We also had blackeyed peas -I have never liked them - maybe that explains things---LOL