Pea

Petit pois

What it is

Gregor Mendel worked out the laws of inheritance on 28,000 pea plants in a monastery garden, choosing them because their traits came in clean pairs. A century earlier the fresh pea was a Versailles craze — courtiers ate until they were ill and boasted of it.

In the kitchen

Sugar turns to starch within hours of picking, which is why frozen peas genuinely beat tired fresh ones.

Goes with

Mint Butter Lettuce Shallot Cream Lard Parmesan Lemon

Same species

Mangetout Pea shoots Split pea

Also used with

Sodium alginate Black morel Camelina oil Lamb neck Kokotxas (hake throat) St George’s mushroom

In season alongside

Asparagus Sweetfish (ayu) Bell pepper Borage Chervil Cucumber

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