Types:
Canada grows approximately 3 million tons of fresh peas per year and is currently the largest world producer and exporter of fresh peas. The garden peas, snow peas and sugar and sugar snap peas that you purchase at farmers’ markets and grocery stores have a relatively short season, while the frozen, dehydrated and canned versions are available year-round. Commercially, most fresh peas in Canada are grown in southern Ontario and Quebec.
- Garden peas have tough, curved pods with green, round peas inside. The peas are shelled, meaning the pods are removed, and the peas that remain are what is eaten.
- Snow peas are flatter than garden peas and have a smooth, edible pod. If you hold a snow pea pod up to the light you can see the peas inside.
- Sugar snap peas have a crisp, snappy texture and are a cross between garden peas and snow peas, so their pods are somewhat thicker and more rounded than snow pea pods. Smooth with round, sweet peas inside, you can eat both the peas and the pod together, just like snow peas. They are the sweetest of the bunch.
How to buy:
Small peas are younger, sweeter and more tender than large ones. If you are purchasing unshelled garden peas, they should be green and firm, and the pods should be medium-sized rather than large as the peas become tougher as they mature. Snow and sugar snap peas can be consumed whole, without the need for shelling. Choose smooth, bright green pods and avoid those with brown or wilted stem ends or pods.
How to store:
Refrigerate:
The sugar within peas starts to convert to starch right after they have been picked so their flavour is best right after being picked and, in the case of garden peas, shelled. If you purchase unshelled garden peas, keep the pods on until just before using them. Whether they are shelled or in their pods, store in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and use within a few days.
Freeze:
Prior to freezing fresh garden peas, blanch them in boiling, salted water for 1-2 minutes and immediately immerse them in ice water to help preserve their colour. Drain well and freeze in resealable bags, removing as much air as possible with a straw. They will retain their flavour for about six months.
How to Prepare:
There’s nothing quite like freshly shelled garden peas. They are delicious both raw and cooked, but lose some of their appeal if overcooked. The cooking options for fresh peas include steaming, boiling, sauteing, stir-frying and lightly braising. Peas make a satisfying side dish, soup or salad and can be added to everything from pasta dishes to frittatas.
Snow and snap peas can be served raw or cooked. Both make great additions to salads, stir-fries, and can also be steamed and served as a side dish or combined with other vegetables.
Nutrition Facts:
Peas are an excellent source of plant-based protein and are high in fibre. They are packed with vitamins A, C and K. Green peas also contain potassium, magnesium, calcium, antioxidants, carotenoids and flavonoids. One cup of peas has approximately 118 calories.
How They’re Grown:
Fresh green peas are very easy to grow but their growing period is limited. Peas like cool, moist soil and can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked and is warm enough for the seeds to germinate (March-May). On a commercial scale, seeds are planted in the field using a seed drill. Peas grow in the fields for approximately three months.
Most peas benefit from some sort of staking. If not staked, it is more difficult to harvest peas and air circulation is limited, which can lead to fungal diseases. Unlike beans, peas are not good climbers and have to be trained to wrap around supports. These are usually systems of stakes or string, or they can also be grown against trellises.
Garden peas intended for processing into frozen or canned products are harvested by special machines called pea viners that strip the pods from the vines and crack them open. They then shake the peas out of the pods and discard the vegetation back into the field while the peas are transferred to large trucks or carts and transported to the processor.
Snow peas are harvested when the peas are flat or just starting to bulge. Sugar snap peas are picked when the pods are plump and round. For these two types of green peas, not all the pods mature at the same time, so they are harvested by hand to ensure the immature pods remain on the plant and can be harvested later. After the peas are picked, they are kept in a cooler and then transferred to the processor to be prepared for the grocery store.
FUN FACTS:
The oldest discovery of peas dates back to 9750 BC along the border of Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. Peas have been growing in North America since the late 1500s.
Canadian Crop is Available: June through October
Grown in: Ontario and Quebec