Interesting, I was not aware of this tradition. Hoppin' John is one of my favorite dishes, and it is what got me into growing my own cowpeas. Very few people up here have ever heard of cowpeas, they were never a traditional staple food in this area. I love them and use them for their own dishes as well as the soups and stews that I use my homegrown dry beans in.

Perhaps it may be considered sacrilege (fusion?) to southern folks but another favorite of mine is a pan of chicken cheese enchiladas smothered in vegetarian hoppin' john made with lots of chopped red and green sweet and mildly hot peppers. What do I know about authentic southern cuisine, I am a lifelong Minnesotan of 100 percent German ancestry who grew up in a meat and potatoes world (not that I am complaining). ;-)

BTW Dave, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your involvement in so many forums on GardenWeb. I enjoy reading your comments related to all the various subjects - you offer much knowledge and guidance put forth in a friendly, informative, and non-confrontational manner. I am certain your help is much appreciated even though folks often might not make the effort to say so.

Happy 2014.
-Tom