Hoppin' Johns

This week in class, my group was in charge of preparing a vegetarian Hoppin' Johns dish. For me, it was a nostalgic task, bringing me back to my childhood when the women in my family filled the kitchen with the smell of chicken-fried steak, cornbread, chicken dumpling soup, mash potatoes, collared greens, and hoppin' johns (my mouth is watering!). My mother always encouraged me to help with the cooking, but I prefered playing in the pool with my cousins. So, during this group project, I was thoroughly surprised with my drive to take initiative, as I sought out the taste from my childhood.

We chopped and diced our vegetables, carefully following the directions given to us. We drew out every task and even designated a "stirrer" and a "chopper." But, much to our dismay, our first taste test revealed a not-so-hoppin' john: "It's...so bland!" we all agreed. I tried to call my grandmother for some emergency spice advice. No answer. Then, out of no where, my southern instinct took hold; I realized that there is no such thing as a hoppin' john recipe. It is made in every southern kitchen uniquely, depending on the available ingredients, and distinct tradition of that family. I remembered the one ingredient my aunt always stirred in, paprika! After scavenging the kitchen for some garlic, black pepper, and paprika, we dumped, dashed, poured to our hearts content. Somehow, I actually knew what I was doing, and our group was doing it well!

The finished product tasted incredible, but different than what I expected. I felt upset at first, but remembered again that every kitchen creates a different hoppin' johns, and thousands of miles away from my family, I had reestablished that connection, and tasted my own twist on tradition.