How do I cook fresh garden peas?
This method of cooking freshly picked garden peas comes right from the very heart of America and a relative of Thomas Jefferson Esq. In “The Virginia Housewife or, Methodical Cook” published in 1824, Mary Randolph (whose brother-in-law was married to Mr. Jefferson’s daughter) gives this on peas: “To have them in perfection, they must be quite young, gathered early in the morning, kept in a cool place, and not shelled until they are to be dressed; put salt in the water, and when it boils, put in the peas; boil them quick, 20 or 30 minutes, according to their age; just before they are taken up, add a little mint chopped very fine; drain all the water from the peas, put in a bit of butter, and serve them up quite hot.” Look, don’t want you to think I’m a complete barbarian, but in my house we just buy a can of those small French peas and eat them.
