[AnAmericanMother]

We've always called black-eyed peas and rice "Hoppin' John". Long as I can remember. It is both a black and a white dish around here -- both my grandmother, from central East Alabama, and my parents' housekeeper, a sharecropper's daughter from Troup county GA, called it by that name.

The tradition is that eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day will bring you "coin money" -- eating collard greens with ham hock will bring you "folding money" in the New Year.

[lastchance]

My husband born and bred here in Florida would have candied tomatoes with his hopping john. Course collards and cornbread are a must do as well.

[Oorang]

The tradition is that eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day will bring you "coin money" -- eating collard greens with ham hock will bring you "folding money" in the New Year.

That is what my grandmother told us every year as well. Now if only all her wonderful biscuits and cornpones held the same luck we would have been rolling in dough :-)

[Alas Babylon!]

Central East Alabama! Where abouts? We're here between Montgomery and Auburn!

We're having pot roast tonight. Mother-in-law is making it and I can't say no or her daughter will be mad.

[SuziQ]

I'm a Mississippi gal, and my Mama made Hoppin John and collards every New Year. I always loved the peas and rice, but have never been able to abide collards. WAY too bitter for me!