Hoppin John (recipe and retrospection)

2015. I want my hovercar. Where is it?

Seriously, though.

I started publishing in march, with Katherine's choice. Four more 50-60,000 word books later (The French Orphan, Katherine, What about Cecelia? and Cynthia the Invincible), and two and a half "short reads" (Captured by the Bluecoats, Dragons of Azog and (pre-release) The Chicken Barons), I've begun to learn the craft of writing.  Counting "The Berkshire Lady" (in it's final stages of editing) That's nearly 330,000 words of fiction. Not bad for a beginner.

I can tell my work is getting better.

Hoppin' John is a traditional Southern recipe for New Years. Here's my version:

1/3 cup +- uncooked dry Black Eye Peas.
2 sliced bacon, cut in strips.
1 cup water.   (ratio is what's important, this scales).

Boil until the peas are cooked (about 45 mintues). Most, but not all of the water will be absorbed.

Saute a small onion, browning lightly.  Drain the peas/bacon and add the onion and its cooking oil to the peas.

Add 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce. and about 1 teaspoon mustard. (These are to taste).

Mix the peas, onions, hot sauce and mustard.

Heat some oil (I like olive oil but traditional would be Lard) and cook the peas  until it's well done. Something like re-fried beans.

It's supposed to be poor food, but it's darn good.