Texas Caviar (1943)

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I just added "Texas Caviar." Any forthcoming DARE or OED entry?
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Any luck with America's Historical Newspapers or the historical Dallas  
Morning News?
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_http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/texas_caviar_black_ey
ed_peas/_ 
(http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/texas_caviar_black_eyed_peas/) 
...
 
"Texas caviar” is the name for pickled black-eyed peas. Helen Corbitt helped  
to popularize the dish ,but she didn’t invent the name. 


_http://www.kstrom.net/cgi-bin/afp4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLoo
kup&ItemId=1574410768&templates=isk_ 
(http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php?URL=http://www.kstrom.net/cgi-bin/afp4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLook
up&ItemId=1574410768&templates=isk)   
The Best from Helen Corbitt’s Kitchens (Evelyn Oppenheimer Series,  No. 1) 
by: Helen Corbitt 

Rating:  *****- the grande dame of  texas cuisine 
This cookbook reintroduces Helen Corbitt, though if you have  lived in Texas 
for years you are no doubt familiar with her. She became famous  as the head 
of the restaurants of Neiman-Marcus department stores, and many  Texans know 
her through her texas “caviar”, hot fudge pecan balls, retro molded  salads, 
fabulous “potluck” recipes, poppy seed dressing, and other Texas  favorites. If 
you cannot find the original editions, this is certainly one to  own. You 
will find yourself using it over and over again.  


_http://www.thefoodwhore.com/recipes/2005/02/texas_caviar.htm_ 
(http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php?URL=http://www.thefoodwhore.com/recipes/2005/02/texas_ca
viar.htm)   
I always wondered where the “Black Eyed Peas and Triscuits” reference came  
from. Might have to try this one sometime! 
Posted by: HomefrontSix at  February 10, 2005 05:54 PM  
Helen Corbitt, who was head caterer at Neiman-Marcus back in the day (40-50  
years ago) and published several cookbooks, has a similar recipe. Hers calls 
for  much more oil though, and no tomato or cumin. Yours sounds mighty good.  
Posted by: Dr Alice at February 12, 2005 07:59 PM 


1 January  1943, Mexia (TX) Weekly Herald, pg. 1: 
Soldiers to Eat  
Peas for Luck 

“Texas Caviar” 
Goes on Menu  

DALLS, Tex, Dec. 31.—(UP)—It’s an old southern custom, and the army will  
feed soldiers at Love Field black-eyed peas—for good luck—on New Year’s Day.  

The boys from the south say that this dish—“Texas caviar”—is a tradition  
which dates back to the days when masters visited their colored slaves on New  
Year’s Day and saw the peas the colored mammies had cooking in the pot.  

And there were many ideas as to how they should be served. Some wanted  
theirs with onions, some with rice—and some with sow belly with the buttons on.  
Lieut. Arnold Heller, mess officer ,was trying out different recipes today to  
see what type of black-eyed peas the boys would curl a lip around tomorrow.  

But when the boys from the north were shown the little bean-shaped peas  with 
winking black eyes they said, “Why, that’s what we feed our cows.”  


13 April 1958, Los Angeles Times, How America Eats: “What’s  Cooking in 
Texas?” by Clementine Paddleford, pg. K30: 
You haven’t had Texas  Caviar, or flowerpot ice cream? Or Cheddar cheese 
soup? You haven’t seen Helen  Corbitt’s cookbook? 
(...) (Pg. 32—ed.) 
It’s the pickled black-eyed peas  made in the restaurant kitchen that Dalls 
folks call “Texas Caviar,” a Helen  invention. 

“The black-eyed pea, a traditional good luck food in the  South to be eaten 
on New Year’s Day, was all news to me,” Helen said. “Never had  heard of such 
shenanigans, and I didn’t like those peas cooked in the ‘Hoppin’  John’ 
manner, so I turned them out pickled.” Ever since, she has served this  “Texas 
Caviar” at her cocktail parties. Other women do too, the men goobble them  up.  
(...) (Pg. 33—ed.) 
Pickled Black-Eyed Peas 
2 cans  dried black-eyed peas 
1 cup salad oil 
1/4 cup salad oil 
1/4 cup wine  vinegar 
1 clove garlic 
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion 
1/2 teaspoon salt  
Freshly ground black pepper 

Drain liquid from peas. Place peas in  bowl; add remaining ingredients and 
mix thoroughly. Store in a jar in  refrigerator and remove garlic bud after one 
day. Store at least two days more.  Yield: 1 quart peas. 


13 June 1985, Los Angeles Times,  “Culinary SOS” by Rose Dosti, pg. H37: 
Texas Caviar: An Appetizing  Salad 

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