3 things you may not know about peas
• They were only eaten dried or ground until the 16th century, when Italian gardeners developed tender varieties for cooking and eating fresh
• Green peas are among the top five veggies grown in Canada, along with potatoes, corn, beans and tomatoes
• Sir Bob Geldof once canned peas for a living
3 ways to try peas right now
• Savour the freshest snow peas simply steamed with chervil
• Combine peas with fried mushrooms as an appetizer
• Add some crunch to green salads by tossing in a handful of fresh raw peas
3 types of peas to keep on hand
• Sugar snap peas, or mange-tout, with their succulent edible immature pods
• Petits pois, very young, small, sweet pods and tender peas inside
• Dried peas-chickpeas, split peas, black-eyed peas-for hearty soups and casseroles
1 thing to remember at the grocery store
• Look for bright green, fresh pea pods with a clean, satiny look; avoid puffy or blemished pods
1 tip you can't live without
• Cooking some of the pods with the peas or with soup stock adds flavour and nutrition; discard the pods before serving
1 collectible to be on the lookout for
• Wire pea servers or perforated enamelware pea strainers, with their unique shapes and variety of colours
Read more in Recipes and Country Pantry
0 Comment