The 13th annual Hopin’ John Old-time and Bluegrass Music Festival was held at Shakori Hills this past weekend. Every year they hold a cooking contest and attendees vote on the best Hopin’ John, the only requirement being the recipe must include black-eyed peas and rice. Most traditional recipes incorporate pork, especially lard and ham hock. Greensboro Greensboro native Catherine Thompson  took top prize this year. Catherine’s blue-ribbon recipe was vegan, the first time in 13 years that a vegetarian or vegan recipe won.Catherine’s goal was for the flavor to stand on its own, showing you don’t need meat to make tasty Hopin’ John. It worked!

Catherine interned this summer at Bounty and Soul*in Black Mountain, North Carolina, a non-profit that distributes donated produce from markets and grocery stores, free, to local residents. Catherine’s job was to make tasty recipes for people from the abundant produce of the week. With her meticulous vegetable-choppping skills and and passion for preparing vegan meals, Catherine poured her soul into her Hoppin’ John recipe, and it paid off! Congratulations! 

* On average, Bounty and Soul serves 850 individuals over 12,000 pounds of produce weekly. If you want to donate to this super worthy initiative, send a check to Bounty and Soul, 999 Old US Highway 70 West, Black Mountain, NC, 28711.