‘Hoppin’ John’ is a popular New Year’s Day dish counted on to bring good luck to traditionalists throughout the South.  Made of black-eyed peas, rice, and ham, each ingredient represents good fortune that culminates in a year of prosperity when eaten at the stroke of midnight.  For those of you planning on celebrating New Year’s Eve downtown, we encourage you to stop by Jackson’s at midnight for your own sampling as we will be serving complementary Hoppin” John to all!

While each ingredient in Hoppin’ John symbolizes luck on its own, the trifecta effect commences when you eat them all together.  Black-eyed peas swell when cooked, which symbolizes growth.  They also look a bit like a coin, although looks are not always enough. Some people toss a dime in the pot to give extra fortune to the lucky eater who ends up with money in their dish. Rice also plumps up as it’s cooked, which signifies abundance in the coming year. Ham, or pork, makes its claim to positivity because pigs root ahead as they feed, which represents forward motion. 
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