I spent most
of my formative years in the Delta of Mississippi.
My
grandmother raised me. She had been born
in the Delta and had Mississippi in her roots. On new years day we always ate Hoppin’ John:
black-eyed peas with raw onions and rice.
This was supposed to bring you good luck for the coming year. If you added cooked greens it was also supposed
to bring you money – the greens were good, but the money never worked out.
To say we
were poor is an overstatement; but being poor in the Delta wasn’t an unusual
condition.
My wife is
making cornbread tonight and we will be having Hoppin’ John.
