An old friend–a self-described Alabama boy–stopped in to visit yesterday. He’s on his way to the west coast, a the cost of the detour to the Farm was worth it. This was a sort of spur of the moment, but Mr. Big Food had time to invite a couple of others for the evening. By 4 o’clock we were all gathered around the kitchen table sipping iced tea, catching up, and swapping stories. Mr. Big Food had planned a feast–ribs and a sausage dish in the slow cookers as appetizers. He pulled the duck gumbo from the freezer, and made a quick squash and dressing dish for the meal. We had the apps just sitting in the kitchen, and then a real sit-down dinner in the dining room.

The old friend and one of the others (also an old friend) spent the night, and we had a leisurely breakfast of huevos con chorizo, black beans, and tortillas. The old friend looked around the breakfast table area and spied a small crock filled with dried black eyed peas. Of course he knew what they were! When he was a kid, he and his family had spent many an evening sitting in front of the TV watching Carol Burnett and shelling black eyes.

I can believe it!

Thus, I was inspired to feature the lowly black eye this week. And it is getting to be time, isn’t it?

Here’s a simple one using fresh peas.

FRESH BLACK EYED PEAS

Fresh black eyed peas, shelled
Water (to cover and cook peas)
1 ¼ inch slice salt pork
Salt, to taste
Hot, buttered corn bread and chopped raw red or sweet onions (for serving peas)

Place peas in a saucepan and cover with water by about ½ inch. Add salt pork, cover pot, and cook gently, about 2 hours or until peas are tender. Season to taste with salt. Serve peas topped with thin slices of the salt pork and raw onions, with corn bread on the side. Spoon pot likker over peas, pork, onions, and corn bread.