Happy New Year

     Well, We've made it through 2016 and are now into 2017.
     Traditionally around here we have ham hocks, cabbage and/or some sort of greens, black eyed peas, carrots and cornbread. Something about eating "poor people's food" at New Years is supposed to bring prosperity or some crap like that.

     I know some of the lore behind the traditions or at least what I've been told so I'll share that with y'all.
     Ham hocks and other lower pieces of the hog including offal and trotters were given to the slaves who were the poorest of the poor. The expression "eating high off the hog" came from the Masters eating the better cuts i.e. higher up the hog. During and after the American Civil War everybody in the Confederacy was in dire straits. I've heard tell that mule meat was called "Vicksburg veal" and formerly considered trash fish along the coast was referred to as "Biloxi bacon".
     Cabbage and/or green is a slang term for folding cash paper money so we have cabbage and/or greens. Pretty self explanatory, eh?
     Sliced carrots are supposed to be the other for of currency, that being coins. Especially gold coins even though I've never met nor et a gold colored carrot.
     I've most often heard back eyed peas (and collard greens and cornbread for that matter) go back to the siege of Vicksburg. Once Vicksburg fell to the Union troops they destroyed what food supplies they could find. They considered the peas, greens and corn meal fit only for feed for livestock. Only thing, there was no livestock to feed so they let it be. We rednecks saw that as mighty fine eating as we still do to this day. Hey,  a pan of cornbread & pot of greens or a pot full of squirrel & dumplings makes me a happy happy redneck!


     2016 was a mixed basket of things good and not so much so here at Merlin's. All us here will continue to pray God blesses us here and all y'all around the world in 2017.
     I believe He does answer all our prayers. When the answer is "no" keep listening and hear Him say "I have something even better in mind for you, my child."

     May He bless you all through the new year and always.
     Love, Merlin