hopping John

[ hop-in, -ing ]

noun

, (sometimes lowercase)

1. a dish of black-eyed peas, rice, bacon or ham, and red pepper or other seasoning: traditionally served on New Year's Day because of the superstition that black-eyed peas bring good luck for the New Year.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hopping John¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Example Sentences

Once, just before New Year’s, I went with her to the Pioneer market to get some dried blackeyed peas for Hopping John and we were talking about what we wanted to do.

From Literature

When her mother had fixed Hopping John, it was crunchy and gritty—obviously not cooked as long or as well as Teenie’s meal.

From Literature

Peas and rice, 'hopping John'.

From Project Gutenberg

But here it is warm again and at most four in the April afternoon, he sits over his plate of hopping John—he and innumerable flies.

From Project Gutenberg

Two dishes I never heard of before are "Hopping John," which is rice cooked with peas, and "Limping Kate," which is some other rice combination.

From Project Gutenberg