Peas

Peas are one of the most popular vegetables in the vegetable garden. Pea seeds germinate early, even when it is still cold, and are easy to look after. Pea plants are content with ordinary soil and thrive in most locations. 

The pods in which the peas ripen can be nibbled straight from the plant, used fresh in numerous dishes or frozen. 

There are essentially these three different types of peas:

Marrowfat peas preserve very well. The slightly angular peas taste tender and sweet. The varieties commonly called 'garden peas' can be counted among the marrowfat peas.
 

Shelling peas have smooth, round peas with a slightly floury taste. This widespread type of pea has a rather low sugar content. When cooked, it is usually boiled in water until soft. 

They are also called podding peas because the little peas have to be 'podded' out of the fresh pods, which can sometimes be quite time-consuming. As long as the peas are in their pods they stay fresh, which is why the harvest of these pea varieties is often transported and stored in the pod. 

The very tender sugar peas can be nibbled raw, even as a whole pod. Sugar pea pods are harvested very early; if they are not eaten raw, they are briefly blanched in hot water. Other common names for the sugar pea are mangetout, snow pea or sugar snap.