Hoppin' Skippin' and Jumpin' Into the New Year
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"Well, bless your heart. your precious little ole' pea-pickin' heart," wrote my new bloggy friend WhollyJeanne in response to my pea-makin' announcement on Twitter.
Oh how it made me snort and giggle to have my heart blessed right off the bat! Definitely a great way to start off the year.
"My pea-pickin' heart is all swole up with happiness," I wrote back. "Let's hope it's not because of the ham in the greens."
Then I went on about the business of cooking, with a smile from ear to ear.
Now, if you don't eat southern food on New Year's — or ever — then you might think the name of this traditional dish is crazy as a peach orchard boar. But when you mix rice with your ham-hock soaked black eyed peas, it's called Hoppin' John. Naturally, you call it that only on day one. Leftover hoppin' john is called Skippin' Jenny.
Why?
I don't know.
I'm sure the name originated long before Jenny Craig. But that's what I was thinking about at lunch when we were skippin' jenny one more day.
This begs the question: If you have hoppin' john on the first and skippin' jenny on the second, what in the world do you call it on day three? Hopefully, there's none left to tempt you. Because that's when it's time for some jumpin' jacks.
Here's to hoppin', skippin' and jumpin' into the New Year!
Posted by TheWordWire at 1/2/2010 4:31 PM 
Categories: Southern Comfort,Observing Holidays
Tags: Food New Year
Categories: Southern Comfort,Observing Holidays
Tags: Food New Year
i declare, i ate so much yesterday. i've got a friend who says whatever you do on new year's day is what you're gonna' do the whole year, and i tell you what: if that's true, then i can expect to put on 2-5 pounds a day. i don't do math, but i imagine you multiply that by 365 and you've got a walking blimp on your hands. you take good care now, ya' hear, and have yourself a fine year.
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Oh boy. I'm pretty sure that's not true. If it were, I'd have spent most of my adult life with a hangover. But that theory is good incentive to do something extra special every New Year's Day. Hope your year is off to a good start.
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Thank you!!! I've been wondering for two days what the heck Hoppin' John was! Too funny.
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Well, I can't imagine why... it's totally intuitive.
Happy new year!!!
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If what Whollyjeane says is true,I'm going to very unproductive but up-to-date on all things entertainment related in 2010. Blackeyed peas and pork were a staple of my childhood New Years Days. I'm not sure if the latter actually has any significance, but my mom always said it did.
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As you know, I love your blog & now I love whollyjeanne because of your "great blogs" tweet! And visiting her brought me back to you and reminiscing about my one Southern New Year's Day feast in Georgia! And go figure, I could have windshieldthought myself to your Vegas kitchen! Good to know you were nearby, how cool!
Have a blessed, snort-n-gigglin' hoppin' skippin' jumpin' New Year!
(PS- great culinary language lesson, no wonder I'm always cornfused in the kitchen!)
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Yes, it's a small world under any moon, not just the blue ones, huh? Happy new year to you too!
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