615725 Tue Apr 28 16:27:33 -0700 2009 7 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4637212 I noticed lately I was really enjoying peas I would randomly encounter in meals out, and so today I purchased fresh (shelled) peas from the farmer's market. They are fine looking, plump and pretty... and they weren't cheap. I don't know what I was expecting or why, but they are very bitter, with only the odd one tasting sweet at all. They taste "under ripe". I'm at work here taking turns at these peas, reading recipes celebrating the sweetness of fresh peas and I can't figure out why my peas are no good and if cooking them will get them to good. I have no idea the difference between peas, and what makes a sweet pea sweet, and if these peas are as they should be or do I have a bag of lousy peas. Any input would be great, or your own anecdotes of life with peas. Tue Apr 28 16:27:33 -0700 2009 97231 Annie S. 1 4637256 Annie, fresh peas are one of my very favorite foods, but they are VERY temperamental (if you can call a food that). They have a short growing season, and they should be eaten as soon as possible after picking - like, within hours (minutes, if possible). If they are not eaten within a day, I wouldn't bother. My grandfather used to grow peas for us, and my favorite memories of peas are standing in the garden, picking the peas, shelling them and popping them right into my mouth. They often didn't make it into the house. They were like little nuggets of sweet green spring! I can't speak to why your peas taste bitter, to my experience old peas are starchy and lose their flavor, but I can say that if they aren't sweet when they're raw, there's nothing you can do to make them sweet again (sorry!). I won't buy shelled peas, even though they are time-consuming to shell, because the condition of the shells will tell you about the peas. If the shells look old and wrinkly, the peas will not be good. But if they are fresh, then you are in for one of the sweetest, most delightful treats of your life. So don't give up on peas, but unfortunately, I would say do give up on THESE peas. Tue Apr 28 16:47:06 -0700 2009 4637212 66030 lisavf 2 4637305 Thank you, lisavf! I will definitely keep your tip on shelled in mind - not givin up. Me and peas are meant to be and I am going to hit up a different farmer's market tomorrow - and sample first! Never shelled a pea in my life, so I doubt I'd mind a turn at hard labor for now. Tue Apr 28 17:00:50 -0700 2009 4637256 97231 Annie S. 3 4637324 Go for it! Actually, I'm jealous because it's too early for peas for me, but soon. They need very little cooking time. Two or three minutes should do it. Also, bigger is not better when it comes to peas. The giant peas are generally older; even if they were just picked they still can be starchy. Sampling is a great idea! Good luck! Tue Apr 28 17:08:03 -0700 2009 4637305 66030 lisavf 1 4637390 Do you know for a fact that the restaurant peas you liked were fresh ones? Frozen peas, especially the baby ones, are often superb. The most common mistake people make is to overcook them. They don't actually need cooking, just heating. If frozen, don't boil them. Just steam, microwave, or stir in a pan with a bit of melted butter until they are heated through. If adding them to a rice dish, it should be fully cooked when you stir the still-frozen peas into the dish, just a minute before serving. Or just thaw them and use raw in salads. Tue Apr 28 17:35:40 -0700 2009 4637212 159317 greygarious 2 4637469 Oh no, I didn't assume the restaurant peas were fresh - too busy being fascinated with myself and my newly-discovered love affair. Today, I was just initiating myself to the farmer's market scene (am only recently trying to apply in my home what I've been reading on the boards for ages) and saw peas, "I LIKE PEAS, I SHOULD BUY SOME FRESH PEAS." Thanks for the tips on frozen peas/cooking peas - will be put to use. Interesting, too, because I've seen recs of up to 13-15 minutes for boiling frozen peas on the web - seemed kind of extreme. Tue Apr 28 18:13:08 -0700 2009 4637390 97231 Annie S. 3 4637539 I totally agree with greygarious on a light touch with frozen peas. By the time they've gotten a lovely green color throughout from the heat, they're done. :) Tue Apr 28 18:39:55 -0700 2009 4637469 95137 mcsheridan 4 4638393 The funny thing is how long it took me to figure this out. I was a child when the first TV dinners came on the market. My mother sometimes bought them, but not often enough for me, because I loved the peas. She used a pressure cooker for frozen vegetables, virtually daily. Neighboring moms were using canned vegetables so this was a step up, taste-wise, but she was still, albeit unknowingly, overcooking her vegetables. Not until I got my first microwave, 30 years ago, and mistakenly under-nuked some frozen peas did I realize that the great flavor in the Swanson tin-foil tray was because of the brief heating. Wed Apr 29 06:55:39 -0700 2009 4637539 159317 greygarious