Valley Bounty, July 6, 2013: Peas

Snap peas, snow peas, and shell peas are in their prime. They like to germinate and grow in cool weather, and will only be in markets for a few weeks—act now! Plump snap peas and flat snow peas both have edible pods; remove the pod from shell peas to reveal the sweet treat inside. Skip cooking them in this weather: just eat them up, toss them in salad, chop to add to spring rolls, or serve with dip and lots of other crisp cool veggies. 

Web extras

Sources

Find our list of pea growers here. New this year, Atlas Farm offers pick-your-own peas, both snap and shell, at their farmstand on Rts. 5&10 in Deerfield. Many CSAs also offer pick-your-own peas to their members.

Preserving Tips

If you pick or buy extra peas, they are easy to freeze. Snap or snow peas require a brief blanching, but shell peas can be frozen without blanching. To freeze edible-pod peas, remove stems and strings, then drop into boiling water for just a minute or two. Cool quickly in cold water, then dry and put into plastic zip-lock bags or other containers and freeze.