Blackeyed Peas - Jan 2004 Winter Cancelled! SEE ALSO: New Year's food Thread AND: Bacon Thread From: "Ken Peck" Subject: Winter Cancelled! Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2004 Winter has been cancelled because of lack of interest. I think it made up to 70 here; right now it is a pleasant 68 on my patio and all my windows are open. It was either that or turn on the air condition while I cooked my New Year's dinner. It has been cloudy and some light rain -- far less than we need. Since there is some discussion of receipes I will make an offering. As you know for all true Texians and many Southerners, black-eyed peas are de riguour on New Year's Day. If you don't have them, terrible luck will pursue you all year long. (And since this year has an extra day, we don't want that!) The problem with black-eye peas is that they are utterly tasteless. In the past I have tried to disguise them as baked beans without a whole lot of success. So this year I tried something different. SEE RECIPE: Blackeyed Pea "Gumbo" The result is a bit like gumbo -- doubtless because of the okra. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gus Oltz Most of the geese I saw today were headed south. One bunch was headed west at sunset, but there's a lake about a mile from my house, and they like to hang out there. When they've all arrived for lunch or whatever, the shore looks like a tourist trap. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Elizabeth Kipp I feel so sorry for my husband in that regard as he bought me new cross country skis, boots, poles and even new warm socks to wear with all of the equipment. We keep hoping for enough snow. It is cold again though so snow may now be far behind in abundance to ski once again in the north land. I can remember a couple of winters though when it was just very very cold without much snow. Thank you for the recipe as I really like okra and shall try it the next -- Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" I'm sure this is a great meal Ken, but these ingredients are a mystery to me Can you translate into UK English for me? The only black-eye peas I have seen here are dried things that needs hours of soaking - I assume never having used them! And what the heck is crumbled bacon? Bacon is too soft to crumble!! SallyM CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Ellen Rains Harris" Dried blackeyed peas are an abomination unto desolation. Frozen peas, preferably ones you have picked and shelled and blanched and frozen yourself last summer, are the better choice. Fresh would be best, but alas, they are mostly unavailable in Christmastide (unless one lives very very far south). Canned peas in a tin are a last resort. Cooked bacon is prime for crumbling. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Carol M. Marsh" Sally, the bacon you get in the U.K. is what we call Canadian bacon. What Ken is talking about are very thinly sliced strips (rashers, I think you call them). Fry them until they are *very crisp* but not burnt. Allow them to cool and dry on a paper towel so that you can crumble them into tiny pieces. Frozen and canned black-eyed peas are available in most large grocery stores in the U.S. as well as the dried ones. The latter do have to be soaked and par-boiled for a long time. When we first moved from Tennessee to Wisconsin when I was a kid, the dried ones were all one could get there -- and they had to be ordered in advance. That, of course, was before the days of supermarkets or deep freezers. I ate my token spoonful of black-eyed peas at the NYE party. They were served cold in a salad with pimentos and green chilis in a vinegrete dressing. I'm not fond of black-eyed peas any way they are prepared. The other traditional New Year's food in the Southwest is posole -- a Mexican Spanish hominy & red chili stew. I've acquired a taste for many New Mexican foods, but not posole or meņudo (similar, but with pork in it). I can't abide posole or meņudo even to be polite. Yuck! For New Year's Day I made pork and sweet kraut, the traditional good luck food in much of the upper midwest. Since cooking for one means lots left over, I'll be eating it for awhile. It's freezer life is pretty short. Fortunately, I really like it -- but not 5-6 days in a row. Carol -- wishing we'd get some of the snow that's moving eastward from the Pacific Northwest. We're continuing to be frighteningly dry and windy with no precipitation in the forecast. It's 60(F) on my front deck. -- Carol M. Marsh Ruidoso, New Mexico USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Stephen P. Victor" Ellen Rains Harris said: > Cooked bacon is prime for crumbling. But I'm sure Sally's only choice is that thick English bacon, which probably wouldn't get crisp no matter how long you cooked it. Sally, in case you never had bacon in your travels to the US, it's sliced thin here, and so it gets crisp when it's fried. I think it also is cured with sugar (right?), which helps with the crisping. Steve -- Stephen P. Victor San Antonio, Texas USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" << WhatKen is talking about are very thinly sliced strips (rashers, I think you call them). >> Ah yes Carol, you did tell me before that our bacon is what you call Canadian! <> Must look and see if we do tinned over here, as I'm pretty certain we don't have them in the freezer cabinets. <> Well, it is cold, wet and windy here as I think Fr Ian has already said! SallyM sally.mullock@ntlworld.com CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" > Dried blackeyed peas are an abomination unto desolation. > Frozen peas, preferably ones you have picked and shelled and blanched and frozen yourself last summer, are the better choice.>> Well, as I've only ever seen green garden peas growing ... SallyM - who sees we still aren't allowed to visit you .... CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" From: "Stephen P. Victor" > Sally, in case you never had bacon in your travels to the US, it's sliced thin here, and so it gets crisp when it's fried. I think it also is cured with sugar (right?), which helps with the crisping.>> We do now get tubs of those funny little bacon bits I've seen on salad bars on your side the Pond, would they do? SallyM CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Ellen Rains Harris" Sally, You may visit. But not on BA (BOAC?) to Dulles. Try BA Heathrow to Baltimore. (Sorry, Renee, they don't seem to care about terrorizing Baltimore. Perhaps that is because Baltimore is scarier than DC. Naaaaah.) Three airports. Only waiting at one. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" > Three airports. Only waiting at one. Thank you kindly Mrs H, I may just drop by in a couple of months when I'm next due across the Pond SallyM CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Maryaurelia Lemmon" From: "Carol M. Marsh" Carol -- wishing we'd get some of the snow that's moving eastward from the Pacific Northwest. I think some moisture may be on its way to you. We've been having significant precipitation here in L.A. for the past 24 hours and it is expected to continue possibly through to Sunday. It's not a lot of heavy rain (the kind that results in mudslides and the need for lots of filled sandbags) but things are getting pretty wet through. reassuring- Lee ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Ken Peck" I think your questions have been answered, perhaps better than I can. Yes, dried black-eyed peas are a pain to cook. Usually I buy frozen which, while still taking more time than most frozen stuff, is much easier. The frozen is usually available, but if we wait until New Year's Eve to buy, the grocery store is likely to be out. Canned is an alternative, but I prefer frozen -- I think canned whatever usually leaves a metalic taste. Bacon (not "Canadian bacon") comes in thin strips. Fried or zapped in a microwave it will become crisp and can be easily crumbled. It tends to be fatty, but with a little effort one can find bacon with more lean than fat. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Elizabeth Kipp What you call Canadian Bacon we call back bacon. (Here in Ottawa Canada.) -- Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Stephen P. Victor" sally.mullock said: > We do now get tubs of those funny little bacon bits I've seen on salad bars > on your side the Pond, would they do? Since they're not really bacon (I think just bread and soy with bacon flavoring) I suspect they'd just dissolve if cooked. I can't remember what the recipe was, though, so it's possible. Calling the chefs on the list... Steve -- Stephen P. Victor San Antonio, Texas USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Chef Paul II" For God's sakes, woman. Make your own. Fry it up, let it cool wrapped in paper towel, then hit it with a hammer. A lot cheaper, and you can judge how much you need from one meal to the next after you get the hang of doing it a bit. Make sure you whack it on a strong, stable surface. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Elizabeth Kipp The Christian Year really is my way of looking at the world. As the Christian Year starts to draw to a close in autumn I contemplate Advent Blessings and send out my request for volunteers. Again this year, we filled the calendar and the many blessings received were a welcome part of my advent time and judging from the list responses enjoyed by all. Then it is Christmas and soon Epiphany and we have been blessed again by the birth of Jesus Christ and the generosity of the Wise Men which continues through the ages. Then we start into our thinking about Ash Wednesday and Lent but always proceeded by Shrove Tuesday. I always think of it as Christmas carrying on until we have the great feast of Mardi Gras. Then we go into our Ash Wednesday Fast followed by the fasting and praying of Lent. So as always this time of year my mind is working its way towards Lenten Blessings and always the list is so very generous in volunteering to write the daily blessings that help to lead us through a penitent Lent to the Maundy Thursday memory of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, to the sacrifice of Good Friday, the Great Vigil on Holy Saturday and the Glory of another Easter resurrection Sunday. Soon I will send out the request looking for volunteers for Lenten Blessings. God Bless everyone. On Thu, 1 Jan 2004, Ken Peck wrote: -- Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" You're talking my English here Elizabeth We too call it back bacon. SallyM CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "sally.mullock" From: "Chef Paul II" > Make sure you whack it on a strong, stable surface.>> And picture myself hitting who? Yes I do know I could do that Paul, was just looking for an easy way... SallyM CofE Reader Wilmslow Parish Chester Diocese. UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Chef Paul II" The preparation of good food is never easy, it is an art--the highest of arts. We not only feed the body, we feed the soul; we attend with our bacon bits upon the Caesar Salad of God's holy potluck. And God blesses our lettuce, our croutons, our very dressing. Good food is the pinnacle of life lived and well belched. Bon Appetit. We now return you to our regularly scheduled infomercial for our cheap rottisiere oven; guaranteed to produce chicken, roasted beef and pork, and only break down a week to ten days after your installments of 10 $24.95 + tax (shipping & handling; not responsible for in transit breakage or defect) have been paid and deposit verified in full. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gary D. Gooch" At 05:23 PM 1/1/2004, Ken Peck wrote: The problem with black-eye peas is that they are utterly tasteless. I Try sprinkling a little Texas Gunpowder on them to spice them up a bit. For you non-Texans, Texas Gunpowder is dried Jalapeno peppers ground up fine. Very hot, and a little goes a long way! Gary+ ------------- Gary D. Gooch San Marcos, TX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Rains Harris I have a small bottle, probably six years old, and it is still potent and effective. Very good stuff, indeedy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------