Kegs and Kitchen

It’s that time of year again. Time to make those lists of resolutions, clean house and get ready for what will hopefully be a great new year. For me, this time of year also means that it’s time to make a big pot of black eyed peas to eat for my first meal of the new year. My family has done this for as long as I can remember. It’s supposed to bring you good luck, and I think it’s a great dish, so I still do it.I thought that instead of doing the “end of the year” list that most of the blogs are doing these days, I’d share my version of this dish and take a look at it’s history. One specific piece of it’s history is very interesting, which is a name that I was unaware of until a few years ago. It seems that many people in the south, where this tradition started, refer to this dish as Hoppin’ John. Nobody seems to be exactly sure why though.

One explanation could be that there was once a rich Georgia landowner who had a slave to serve his meals, that only had one leg. He made this dish, and the landowner and his guests liked it so much that they named the dish after him. Cute.

Another explanation could be that it’s simply a bastardization of the French pronunciation of their term for black eyed peas which is “pois pigeons” (say it like you’re French, and it makes sense). It could have been that there simply was a man named John who came “a hoppin” when his wife made it. There is a phrase in South Carolina, where this dish reportedly has it’s roots, that when you invite someone in to eat you say “Hop in, John.” There’s even a story of a crippled man in Charleston that served the dish, and I’ll let you guess what his name was.

There are also many variations on how this dish is prepared and served. For some, it’s simply black eyed peas simmered in a tomato based broth along with fatty cuts of pork. Others jazz it up a bit with peppers and onions. Some would say that the peas are only half of the meal, the other half being some type of greens served with it to symbolize folded money which they hope will come to them in the new year. There’s even a Cuban version called Hoppin’ Juan, which substitutes black beans.

Regardless of which story you choose to believe , this is a great dish with lots of history. If it really brings good luck is anyone’s guess, I like to believe it does. I also like the fact that it’s one of those meals that you assemble with love, allow it to simmer for hours and then share it with everyone around you. It’s not fancy, it won’t win any cooking contests and you won’t find it on the menu of your favorite snotty restaurant. It is however incredibly satisfying and comforting. Not to mention healthy. That’s a good way to start the new year in my book.

My version of Hoppin’ John:

• 1 lb of black eyed peas, soaked overnight.
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 10 oz cans of Rotel
• 1 1/2 quarts of vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin, chili powder, celery seed and thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• diced avocado and pico de gallo to garnish

Happy New Year!