Hoppin’ John is a traditional New Year’s Day food. Black-eyed peas, celery, onions and green pepper cook with a hambone for hours. Somehow this food is supposed to bring prosperity in the new year.
I had leftover ham from my friend Pam’s front-yard-raised pig, and I bought field peas from Anson Mills a company that produces heirloom, organic grains and legumes. I discovered Anson Mills while watching the annoying John Besch on Create TV. I was impressed with the company’s founder, their philosophy and their commitment to the environment along with quality. I was so eager to get some to try that I went online to order them while I was watching the show. The beans (I also ordered rice, benne flour and grits or something) come in tastefully designed brown paper bags and I only had to take out a second mortgage on my house to buy 8 ounces of them.
It was delicious and I’m hoping my new prosperity will allow me to purchase more of them in the future.
