I can't believe you posted that link. SO bad!
Faux news. It's spreading.
You crack me up- "I was musing on my favorite Democratic National Convention speeches of years past...." I wish I had your motivation.
too much. my favorite comment in...forever.
...hope the trip was fab!! BTW, is Hoppin' John a NC dish? I may have my culinary geography off...
Never heard of a Hoppin' John. Home was great. 
A hoppin' john is made with black-eyed peas and pork. I've heard it called that in Louisiana, and its certainly a pretty common dish where I'm from although I didn't grow up hearing that name for it. It brings you good luck if you eat it on New Year's Day.
Well since we cook everything with pork fat in my family (sorry Marj!), I guess I've been eating black-eyed peas "Hoppin' John style" my whole life and never known it!
...the history of Hoppin' John is interesting, as I just discovered:
Hoppin' John is found in most states of the South, but it is mainly associated with the Carolinas. Gullah or Low Country cuisine reflects the cooking of the Carolinas, especially the Sea islands (a cluster of islands stretching along the coats of south Carolina and northern Georgia). Black-eyed peas, also called cow peas, are thought to have been introduced to America by African slaves who worked the rice plantations. Hoppin' John is a rich bean dish made of black-eyed peas simmered with spicy sausages, ham hocks, or fat pork, rice, and tomato sauce.
This African-American dish is traditionally a high point of New Year's Day, when a shiny dime is often buried among the black-eyed peas before serving. whoever get the coin in his or her portion is assured good luck throughout the year. For maximum good luck in the new year, the first thing that should be eaten on New year's Day is Hoppin' John. At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, many southern families toast each other with Champagne and a bowl of Hoppin' John. If it is served with collard greens you might, or might not, get rich during the coming year.
There are many variations to traditional Hoppin' John. Some cook the peas and rice in one pot, while others insist on simmering them separately.
Most food historians generally agree that "Hopping John" is an American dish with African/French/Caribbean roots. There are many tales or legends that explain how Hoppin' John got its name:
It was the custom for children to gather in the dining room as the dish was brought forth and h op around the table before sitting down to eat.
A man named John came "a-hoppin" when his wife took the dish from the stove.
An obscure South Carolina custom was inviting a guest to eat by saying, "Hop in, John"
The dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina by a crippled black man who was know as Hoppin' John.
...I had the wrong Carolina, and as we've learned from Maggie, SC may as well be Utah from NC. Lotta recipes out there as you'd imagine...including vegan.
This explains why its prevalent to find this dish in Louisiana. Black eyed peas cooked with onions and pork is pretty common in East Texas, and it's what we eat for good luck on New Year's Day, but have never seen it with rice...
Love the history of food!
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