Monday, March 25, 2013

Black Eyed Peas

It's midnight and I can hear the incessant call of the whippoorwill from the nearby forest. Last time I told you about planting peas when you first hear the whippoorwill in Spring. I happened to see fresh frozen black eyed peas at the market. I grabbed a package of them to cook for our visitors from New Hampshire and Finland this week. Photo above is the pier at Fort Island Beach in Crystal River from a recent day trip. Click the link to see more photos of this nearby beach and park.

I put about two cups of peas in a large stock pot and just covered them with water. I added one onion chopped fine, four small slices of pre-cooked Canadian bacon chopped medium (my grandmother would have use salt pork or fat back), some celery slices, and spices like ground bay, oregano, dried chipotle pepper, salt, black pepper, marjoram, etc. I brought the mixture to a boil and then turned down the heat to simmer the peas for about 45 minutes. They turned out delicious and are a hearty meal on a cold day. Serve with some corn bread to sop up the juices.

Photo above is the boardwalk at Cooter Pond in Inverness on another day trip. Click the link to see more photos from this local attraction. Our visitors are leaving today so I'll have more time to visit your blogs. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

14 comments:

  1. Fort Island Beach and Cooter Pond are both stunning. Loved them - and hope your guests did too.

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  2. Now you are talking "southern." Haven't had them in ages. Guess what I will be doing today.

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  3. love some black eye peas... you do live in a great place.

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  4. Beautiful blue water and blue sky.

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  5. I'm sure your guests had a great time! And, girl, you're turning into a Southerner . . . black-eyed peas, yum! In LA, we often put the peas/gravy over rice, YUM! Have you tried the Cajun seasoning Slap ya Mama? It nice.

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  6. Your black-eyed peas sound really tasty. I don't quite understand the folklore behind the whipoorwill and the peas. A lot of traditions can exist long after the original meaning is lost. I have several books that explain some of them, one is called "Hog on Ice".

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  7. Glad to see you back in blogland again! I know you had a great time with your guests.

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  8. The first time I made black eyed peas I didn't understand that dried peas or beans were very different from those in cans. So I tried cooking them very quickly(& very stupidly) & couldn't figure out why it didn't "work." No Julia Child am I. ~Mary

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  9. Yum, those sound really good. I love reading about the things that you cook, it always sounds so delicious. And it looks like you live in a very nice place! I just added your blog to list of blogs on my own blog!

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  10. You make the fancy black eyed peas...:)

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  11. So are you planing Black Eyed Peas

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  12. ah- did you post yet about your sabbatical? or did I miss it... oh, and black eyed peas are yummy! thanks for reminding me.

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  13. Hi Elephant's Child, thanks, oh our guests loved the weather here and the day trips, luckily it was mostly good weather the whole time.

    Hi Patti, thanks, hope you're planting some peas.

    Hi Meredith, thanks, we are lucky to live here for sure.

    Hi Joanne, thanks, we love the day trips seeing all the natural beauty.

    Hi Kittie, thanks, slap ya mama, ha with a name like that it has to be good I will look for it.

    Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, hog on ice, will have to look for it, I love folklore stories.

    Hi Barbara, thanks, Gary, the cats, and I are worn out and resting up, not used to so much excitement and partying, ha.

    Hi Mary, thanks, I'm glad I did a search on the internet and read how to cook these before I tried it otherwise I would have done the same thing. Ha.

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  14. Hi Jennie, thanks, so glad you like the recipes. I enjoy cooking so hopefully folks find a use for my posts. I added you to my blog roll I thought I had you but didn't; sometimes I forget to hit the save button with blogger and think I added someone and I didn't Ha.

    Hi Dee, thanks, I can't help making them a little fancy. Ha.

    Hi Lori, thanks, not planting so far, I seem to have filled up my raised beds with herbs. Ha.

    Hi Amy, thanks, not yet, but soon.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment