A little cold/sinusitis made my New Year's weekend a bit more subdued than usual (so practically asleep). For one thing, you can't add much pepper to the Hoppin' John because it doesn't take much to start a round of sneezing, but you need that extra boost of flavor/sinus clearing. Sigh. Thanks, weather.
Editor's note: The original version of this column was published in December 2019, months after I'd lost my mom. Having just lost my brother and with the pandemic continuing, it seems appropriate to revisit it.