English Peas

I wanted to share with you a nice happy accidental discovery I had when was very tired Wednesday after work. Wednesday happens to be the only evening in the work week that Raj and I have to spend together. This means that no matter how tired I am or how much I don't feel like cooking, I need to, because it's the only day of the week I can cook for my husband and we can eat together.

Still though, being tired I decided to go simple- roasted chicken and fresh vegetables. On my way home from work I ran into the market and grabbed chicken and what I thought were sugar snap peas. When I got home I realized something was awry.

You see, sugar snap peas look like this:


While English Peas look like this:


What you can't tell from the picture is that English pea pods are also a lot bigger than the sugar snap variety. I should have known. By then I was at home and didn't feel like going out again, so I did what anyone would do and googled how to cook English peas. I found purees, soups, and salads, but I wanted something easy.

What you do is remove the peas from the shells (and mind you, a large bag full of pods yields only about a cereal bowl of peas), blanch them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then top with butter and salt.

Oh man, these were like no peas I've ever had before. Have you ever noticed how parents buy frozen vegetables, throw them in the microwave, and then wonder why their kids don't like to eat them? Hell-OOOO! These peas were so sweet, went perfect with the butter and salt, and they pop in your mouth when you eat them! I wanted more when they were gone. So remember these are fun and easy, and to buy a lot!

Oh, yes it is.

Spring and I have always had a funny relationship. Let me start off by reminding you that I did not grow up in a region with seasons. When I moved away from Southern California, I readily accepted fall with open arms. I love spiced foods, cozy drinks, and looking forward to the holidays. I can tolerate winter for a couple of months, and then I am done with cold weather.

Enter spring.

Spring should be the beacon of hope, no? I know it tries very hard to please me. Trees are blossoming with popcorn bursts of white and pink flowers, and there is a light at the end of the gloomy, mirthless tunnel. Still I find myself hating spring not for what it offers, but for what it is not- namely, warm. I end up not living with spring, but rather enduring it, and that is no way to get along.

I have lived in seasons for nearly ten years now, and one thing I have learned in that they are stubborn, and no amount of defiance will change what is going on outside.* After conceding to this and making some changes in my attitude, I discovered that I can enjoy spring from time to time- those times usually being on my days off. Take today, for instance (yes, yes I know, it's not even really spring yet....so what?). I have no idea when I became this person, but I could not think of a better way to spend a day off work than standing in the kitchen and slowly and methodically shelling the season's first crop of English peas, all the while listening to Easter music.** I have a bean and smoked ham hawk stew slowly cooking on the stove, and later I plan on baking some Easter cookies (not sure what kind just yet).

And again, I realize why I love food, and why I'm so glad I went to pastry school. Eating is so much more than just putting fuel in your body. It is an experience, a journey, a way to stop for a moment and enjoy what is going on around you rather than wishing for tomorrow. And when I look outside and see that on March 8 it is snowing, I close the drapes, make some tea, and still have my peas.

*What I haven't learned is that wearing sandals won't make it magically warm. I still try this from time to time.

**That one's for you, mom!