Serve "Hoppin' John" on Wintertyde Day, January 7th

Traditionally, black-eyed peas are served on New Year's Day. A dime is stirred into the pan, and whoever gets the coin in her/his serving has good luck during the forthcoming year. Wintertyde recommends moving this wonderful celebration up from January 1st to January 7th. New Year's Day tends to be rather sedate and quiet as everyone is recuperating from the revelry of New Year's Eve. Move your dinner up one week for several reasons. First, you're likely to have a receptive group of diners who are not hungover as is often the case on New Year's Day. Second, serving "hoppin'John" on January 7th helps to establish the tradition of a special meal on Wintertyde Day. OK, plan snacks for New Year's Day, and save your special meal for January 7th. In our household, we use Margaret Holmes Hoppin' John and add a cup of bacon bits to the mix.

"Vadalia onions are an unusually sweet variety of onion grown under strictly regulated conditions that qualify them as “Vidalia Onions”. We have combined the great taste of premium Vidalia Onions to our delicious Hoppin’ John recipe and then slow simmered them together with our unique blend of down-home southern spices to create a true delicacy. Just heat-n-serve! Serving Size 1/2 cup (130g) Servings Per Container about 6" Companion dishes we serve are cornbread, sweet potato, and lima beans. Select a Chardonnay to accompany the entree. Happy Wintertyde Day 2015!