Miss Essie's Southern New Year’s Eve Traditions

Whether you are superstitious or perhaps a traditionalist, there are several southern dishes that are thought to bring you good luck and fortune in the new year. Collard greens, cornbread, hoppin’ John and good cuts of pork (think ‘high on the hog’) or pork jowl are staples at many southern dinner tables ringing in the new year.

Cornbread — The Aztecs and Mayans were making corn tortillas long before we started making cornbread, but the Southern version of cornbread actually did originated with the Native Americans. The Southern cooking of cornbread dates back to colonial days and into the 20th century, corn was gold in the south and was the staple grain. Cornbread really was the daily bread in the south.

Collard Greens — a leafy green vegetable, common in southern cooking, the collard green has dark green leaves and tough stems, similar to kale and mustard greens. Collard greens tend to also be a bit on the bitter side, braising them with smoked or cured meat adds a nice flavor and makes a hearty side dish.

Hoppin’ John — Served as both a main dish or a side, this simple dish is a blend of rice and black-eyed peas. The technique of cooking this combination together was brought to America in the 19th century by enslaved Africans. By the 20th century, it became a dish associated with good luck on New Year’s. The trick to preparing good hoppin’ John is cooking everything together until the rice and beans separate.

Pork jowl — the cured and smoked cheeks of pork, otherwise known as hog jowl, is a basic of soul food. It tastes and cooks much like bacon is often used in collard greens for flavor.