Lovely Lady Peas

This post is dedicated to the lovely Lady Pea, not to be confused with "lovely lady lumps" which is another post entirely....but I digress.
Truthfully, until recently, I'd forgotten Lady Peas.  Last fall, on our return trip from the mountains, a beautiful display of multi-colored pumpkins prompted us to stop at a roadside farmer's market.  They had pumpkins of every shape and color, and many I had never seen before.  I piled several into the rusted Red-Ryder wagon provided by a young girl with wheat colored hair who popped up out of nowhere and disappeared just as quickly.
Just behind the pumpkins, a large tent sheltered large wooden bins filled with mountain apples.  Behind that were smaller bins, and shelves and shelves of jams, jellies, and preserves.  I bagged several varieties of apples, picked up a couple of jars of our favorite strawberry-rhubarb jelly and scanned the crowd in an effort to determine the end of the check-out line, which turned out to be on the other side of the tent just in front of a bin filled with plastic containers of shelled lady peas. 
Of course, I didn't recognize them as lady peas at first.  I picked them up out of idle curiosity.  But as soon as I read the label, I remembered. 
Most summers, when I was a girl, my mother bought bushels of beans and peas at our local farmer's market which lead to days and days of shelling.  I didn't mind shelling.  Even today, I'm always looking for something to do with my hands.  And, it was time spent with Mom.  I was always looking for more of that.
I brought home two containers of lady peas, and cooked them that night.  They were a huge hit and a quick favorite, but we didn't have them again until last week.  It seems lady peas are not available at any of the grocery stores in my area, but I did find them last Friday at our local farmer's market. What a treat!

Lovely Lady Peas
Lady Peas have a distinctive sweet flavor and smooth texture not found in their kissing cousins, Black Eye, and White Acre.  Simple preparation preserves their unique nature.

What's In It:

4 c. shelled lady peas  (You'll find them shelled, and picked over, at the farmer's market)
2 1/2 c. chicken stock (Broth is fine)
1 tbs. bacon grease (This may be omitted, but it sure is good!)
Pinch whole thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste

How to make it:

Pour stock over peas in medium saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  As they cook, remove foam from surface, and discard.
When foaming stops, decrease heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.  Peas should be tender.
Season to taste. 
To serve:  Scoop peas and broth into small bowls.




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