HOPPIN’ JOHN TIME RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

Of all the traditions that go with the various holidays,
one of my fondest is eating Black Eyed Peas on New
Year’s Day – 360 to be exact – one for each day of the
year. The story is that the peas represent coins and
collard greens are served with them to represent paper
money. As the story goes, when General William T.
Sherman made his march of the Union Army to the
sea, during which they pillaged the Confederates’ food
supplies, Stories say peas and salted pork (hog jowl)
were said to have been left untouched, because of the
belief that they were animal food unfit for human consumption.
Southerners considered themselves lucky
to be left with some supplies to help them survive the
winter, and black-eyed peas evolved into a representation
of good luck.
In another Southern tradition, black-eyed peas was
a symbol of emancipation for African-Americans who
had previously been enslaved, and who after the Civil
War were officially freed on New Year’s Day. Also
called Texas Caviar, they are often served at formal
galas in champagne glasses, chilled. Hoppin’ John
is black eyed peas, dirty rice and pork and is usually
very spicy. The spice became a standard, story has
it because after the war, most of the pigs had been
taken by the advancing forces and people were forced
to create a variation often referred to as Swamp Hop
because rather than port, the meat was either nutria,
or gator.
Surprisingly, the blossoms from the plant is also a
source of nectar that can be made into honey. When
you are lucky enough to lay your hands on some of
that, there is nothing quite like buttered cornbread with
pea honey on it. The moral to this story is that whatever
traditions you have in your family, honor them
knowing that your children will grow up with fond memories
of a very special time when a simple thing like
counting black eyed peas will remind them of a simpler
time when they were young, carefree and a new year
loomed in front of them full of possibilities and adventure.