I loved watching my grandmother cook, but I have a confession to make: I never, ever saw her make Hoppin' John soup.
So, when I happened to find a recipe for it in her collection, I was quite astounded. After all, I had just written and published a children's book entitled "Hoppin' John Soup & Turtle Wax," which has nothing to do with soup or car wax. It does, however, feature a character dubbed Granny Starla, who was fashioned after my wonderful Grandmother.
Providential? I believe so.
Grandmother was a very big influence in my life for many reasons. As a sixth-grader who was lonely at times (all I wanted to do was be left out of the girl drama at school and keep my nose in a book), I felt closer in spirit to this lovely lady who let me stay on the farm with her, roam the cornfields at leisure, and taught me how to make chocolate-chip cookies--but never soup!
I plan to write much, much more at a later time about Grandmother, her faith, her farm, and her influence; but for now, please enjoy her recipe for Hoppin' John soup.
