Give Peas a chance!

It’s Great British Pea Week! This week (7th-13th July) marks the busiest week in the Pea Industry calendar, so what better time to celebrate this massively overlooked but incredibly versatile, sustainable, and nutrient-packed British crop. Most of us have fond memories of eating fresh peas straight from the pod in the summer and at this time of year, I’ll always grab some when I see them. Whether eaten fresh in season or frozen throughout the year, peas come with a rich and fascinating history.

Peas (Pisum sativum) have been a part of our diet for thousands of years. They’re one of the oldest crops ever cultivated, first grown around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago in the eastern Mediterranean, in places like modern-day Turkey, Greece, and the Middle East. Fresh green peas became fashionable in the 17th century, especially amongst the upper classes, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that the first sweet-tasting pea was developed by amateur plant breeder Thomas Knight, near Salisbury.

The first peas were frozen by Clarence Birdseye in the 1920’s, and today the British pea industry harvests a whopping 160,000 tonnes of frozen peas every year.

Most of us have a bag of peas lurking in our freezer and it’s time to stop using them as a cold compress! They’re quick and easy to prepare, yet often overlooked and tossed in the microwave as a last-minute side dish. Despite their humble status, the pea (did you know it’s actually a legume not a vegetable?) is a nutrient powerhouse, packed with protein, fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Peas lend themselves to all sorts of recipes and are incredibly versatile. Blend them into a soup, add to risotto or sauté with some simple seasonings. My favourite way to serve them in the summer is as a Pea Fritter. Light but filling and packed with nutrients, they make the perfect lunch in the garden or as a tasty addition to a BBQ.