A fresh start’s never a bad idea, even if it’s small and largely symbolic (ask our prez), and especially when Tejas nature’s on your side for a change. Black-eyed peas are available fresh by the pound at Central Market right now (turns out, they don’t grow hard and dried, but firm and a pretty shade of white tinted with pastels). I’ve got a pot of Hoppin’ John simmering on the stove.

For dessert, blueberries from Nacogdoches. They don’t have even a hint of that alkaline toughness that travelin’ berries pick up on their way from parts yon. Rinse and eat.

This article appears in May 21-27, 2008.