I’m not sure if there are any traditional foods eaten on New Years Day in the UK, but when I saw the discussions about black eyed pea recipes on the Post Punk Kitchen, I decided to find out more. It turns out that in the south of America, people eat black eyed peas and greens on New Years Day to bring good luck for the year ahead. I don’t normally have much regard for traditions but when it involves trying new recipes I’m there.
I’d already bookmarked this recipe in Joanna’s zine so I decided this was a perfct time to have it. I cooked the rice on New Year’s Eve (in between all my Artful Vegan cooking!), so it was quite simple to put it all together for brunch. I only had a handful of spinach but I definitely wanted to use it if it represents the folding money!, so I threw it into some fried potatoes to serve alongside the cakes.
I highly doubt that this brunch will bring us any luck but I will definitely have these cakes again. I’d probably replace some of the onion with celery next time as it was still a bit crunchy for us in the morning. I’m also pleased to report that I crisped up leftover cakes the following day in a dry frying pan, and they tasted just as good, if not actually even better, with the flavours melding together.
Sometimes it’s nice to discover other countries traditions!
Cooking the Vegan Books 
Oh yes, we Southerners totally eat black-eyed peas and cabbage every new year for wealth and prosperity. My family even gets together for a traditional New Year’s Day meal…but my granny cooks “hog jowl” (another tradition Southern NY food) and it’s disgusting. So I stay home and a vegan New Year’s feast.
I’ve also got this recipe bookmarked, can’t wait to start cooking from Joanna’s zine.
Oh yes. Those cakes look good! I’ll have to try them. New Years is always black-eyed peas and turnip greens in my family.