Cornbread, peas and either turnip greens (salet) ,or collards was a staple food for New Years dinner.

When I was a boy, mother usually cooked the greens with a ham hock cooked in the same pot as the greens.

I am 88 years of age and, I know that since I was three or four years of age, we always ate corn bread. Some variety of greens with ham hock, and black eyed peas.

Our son & his family live in Knoxville Tn. and when we invited them for New Years dinner, he said if I come, please have some turnip green and black eyed peas.

That was two dishes that we served , and the tradition will be safe for another few years. Happy & Prosperous New Year of 2017.