I love fun food facts. And if they have a historical reference, I love them even more. Here's a timely, and delicious, one for the New Year.

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1 Having trouble viewing this ? Click here Volume 2 Issue 20 December 20, 2012 Still need a gift for the chef in your life? Here are a couple of my faves, from $4 to (gasp, but worth every penny) $400. Best Stocking Stuffer: Kuhn Rikon Swiss Peeler - $4 for one, $9.99 for a set of three (three different colors). Best Tech-Chef Gifts: I don't work for Williams- Sonoma.com, but I do think these are some pretty useful and fun products! Smart Tools Screen Shields Smart Tools Kitchen Stand for Tablets I love fun food facts. And if they have a historical reference, I love them even more. Here's a timely, and delicious, one for the New Year. In the southern United States, eating Hoppin' John on New Mary Fabrikant Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls. Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, kale, cabbage, etc., along with this dish are supposed to also add to the wealth since they are the color of money. [Another traditional food, cornbread, can also be served to represent wealth, being the color of gold.] On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny," and further demonstrates one's frugality, bringing a hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the New Year. During the late Middle Ages, there was a tradition of eating beans on New Year's Day for good luck in parts of France and Spain. The European tradition mixed with an African food item to become a New World tradition. One tradition common in the USA is that each person at the meal should leave three peas on their plate to ensure that the New Year will be filled with luck, fortune and romance. Another tradition holds that counting the number of peas in a serving predicts the amount of luck (or wealth) that the diner will have in the coming year.

2 Smart Tools Bluetooth Speaker Best "It'll last as long as I love you" Gift: A Le Creuset enameled stainless steel Dutch oven. The Le Creuset folks call 'em "French ovens". I have a 4-quart for everyday use and a 13 quart for awesome quantities of stews and braised briskets for holidays. I wouldn't trade either of them in... in fact, if you see my husband around town, you might let drop that I could use the 7.5 qt in-between size... A tip for Denverites: Head to the Le Creuset outlet in Silverthorne and save a bundle on these best-of-breed Dutch ovens. For you native Coloradans among our readers, you might like to try "Hoppin' Juan", which substitutes black beans for black-eyed peas. I grew up in North Carolina, so it's fitting that I share my recipe for this quintessentially Southern dish. Start 2013 off Southern-style by cooking up a batch of Hoppin' John! My staff joins me in wishing you a 2013 filled with luck, love and prosperity (and great food!). Need help with this week's recipe(s)? Get advice and tips from Mary about this week's recipe by mary@laviecatering.com. Visit La Vie's Website Recipe: Hoppin' John & Smoky Stock Yield: 4 servings (plus 2 1/2 quarts leftover smoky stock) INGREDIENTS - Hoppin' John: I make my Hoppin' John with black-eyed peas (available fresh and dried from King Sooper), flavoring the mixture with a smoky turkey stock and serving it alongside Grilled or Fried Chicken. To make the smoky stock that flavors this Hoppin' John, I simmer diced smoked turkey and kielbasa Dried black-eyed peas, 2 cups or Fresh black-eyed peas, 4 cups Water, 6 cups 15 oz. can whole, plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely chopped Light brown sugar, ¼ cup (lightly packed) Apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup Hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Bay leaf, 1 Corn, 2 ears (husked). Can use frozen if fresh not available. Bone-in chicken breasts, 4 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Canola oil, 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons, divided Sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia), 1 (finely Green bell pepper, 1 (seeded, ribs removed,

3 or Merguez sausages from Kol Foods. When the stock is done, you can pick the meat out of the solids strained from the stock and add it to the Hoppin' John. Make the stock ahead and freeze it so it's ready whenever you want to make the dish. What People Are Saying... "Thank you for a fantastic dinner tonight and thank you most of all for the wonderful brownies! The feast you prepared for the group turned our meeting into a real Hanukkah celebration." ~ Sarah I. Follow Us! finely Red bell pepper, 1 (seeded, ribs removed, finely Garlic cloves, 4 (finely Jalapeño, ½ (finely Long-grain white rice (leftover take-out rice works great here), 1 cup (cooked and cooled) Cherry tomatoes, 2 cups (sautéed just until skin splits) Scallions, 2 (white and light green part only, finely Chives, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon Lemon, 1 (juiced) Unsalted margarine, 2 tablespoons INGREDIENTS - Smoky Stock: Water, 1½ gallons Smoked turkey, 1#, cut in ¾" dice Flavorful Sausage, Kielbasa, Merguez or, if using black beans, Chorizo, 8 oz. Vine-ripened tomatoes, 3 (cored and roughly Carrots, 2 (roughly Celery stalks, 2 (roughly Apples, 1½ (peeled, halved, cored and roughly Sweet onions (such as Maui or Vidalia), 1½ (roughly Garlic cloves, 6 (unpeeled and sliced in half horizontally) Thyme sprigs, 4 Dried bay leaf, 1 Whole black peppercorns, 1½ teaspoons DIRECTIONS 1. If using fresh peas, skip this step. If using dried peas, soak the peas for the Hoppin' John: In a large bowl, add the: Black-eyed peas Water Soak the black-eyed peas overnight (or quick soak them by bringing the peas and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, simmer for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and let the peas soak for 1 hour, then drain and continue to step 2). Click here to view and print the entire recipe.

4 Entertain more often, with less work... La Vie will deliver a complete brunch for 10 in January for $100*. Includes Cheddar/Bell Pepper Strata, Fresh Fruit Presentation, Muffins or Breakfast Bread, OJ, Starbucks Coffee, and all disposableware. *Price does not include tax, delivery, or driver tip. Please call us at to discuss your catering needs. WANT TO USE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR E-ZINE OR OTHER PUBLICATION? Please do! As long as you don't change any of the content, you attribute the information to us, and put a link to our website when you use it, we'd be happy for you to use it! ~~~ You are receiving this newsletter because you have a prior relationship with me or with others at La Vie Catering. Please accept my apologies if it was sent to you in error. Simply click the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this and you will be removed from our list permanently. Your privacy is important to us. We will never ever rent, sell, or share, your information with anybody. We promise. Copyright 2012 La Vie Catering. All Rights Reserved. Forward This was sent to mary@canteencatering.com by mary@laviecatering.com

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