Purple mushy peas

[Flummery]

As mentioned in the What I Did Today thread, I cooked up a batch of mushy peas from my dried Lancashire Lads. These are purple podded but the peas are green. I soaked them overnight with a pinch of bicarb - traditional old wives thingy - and when I brought them to the boil, they went dark purple. The attached pic shows a plate of fish and chips with what look like blackcurrants - they are Lancashire Lad mushies. Wonder if it was the bicarb?

By the way, they tasted fantastic - real old-fashioned mushy pea flavour. I don't think they'd be suitable for the new southern 'minted pea puree' but oop north they're gradely!

Still got Latvian peas and King Tut to try. Wonder what colour they'll be? They name of the Latvian peas apparently means grey peas!

[di]

Just read your WDIDT post & sounded good~looks better!May need to pop some "Lancashire Lads"on the evergrowing seeds for next year list!

[scarey55]

Ooh, I'm definitely going to have a go at that next year. I can think of a few peeps whose minds will be blown by purple mushy peas.

[Flummery]

I hope I can repeat it - suppose the next lot are green and normal I'll be SO disappointed!
Sent you a pm Andi&di.

[quark1]

I simply love these interesting vegs with offbeat colours!

That dinner looks v tasty too!

Must look out for some seeds from this variety to try next year.

[Hilary B]

I don't know about peas, but red cabbage contains a pH indicating substance, That is why pickled red cabbage is always bright red, although the growing plant is more purple. It gets redder with increased acidity. I had great fun playing with the effect (in the cooking water) when I was 16 and had just done a Chemistry O level at school<g> if I added enough bicarb it went a very greenish blue, then add some vinegar and it went back to red
It is possible that these 'unusual' peas have something in them that goes purple in alkaline conditions, or it may be a totally different cause.

[zazen999]

I love them; on the list for next year!

[Snadger]

I don't know about peas, but red cabbage contains a pH indicating substance, That is why pickled red cabbage is always bright red, although the growing plant is more purple. It gets redder with increased acidity. I had great fun playing with the effect (in the cooking water) when I was 16 and had just done a Chemistry O level at school<g> if I added enough bicarb it went a very greenish blue, then add some vinegar and it went back to red
It is possible that these 'unusual' peas have something in them that goes purple in alkaline conditions, or it may be a totally different cause.

Sounds feasible to me!

I must admit I won't be trying them, even though I have purple podded peas.................they look a bit to much like sheep/rabbit droppings for my liking.

Sorry flum!

[lynda66]

i'm with snadger, i'm going to try varying shades of carrot next year, but peas are green, and until i get brave they have to stay green

[Flummery]

Sounds feasible to me!

I must admit I won't be trying them, even though I have purple podded peas.................they look a bit to much like sheep/rabbit droppings for my liking.

Sorry flum!

S'orright mate. They didn't taste like rabbit droppings. Yuk, that makes it sound like I go around eating rabbit droppings. Maybe I should stop now, before the hole I'm in gets deeper?

[lynda66]

I'm sure rabbit droppings are very erm ... nutritious??

[George Gray]

Funny coloured veg

Where did you get your Lancashire Lads peas from they sound interesting?! I wouldn't mind trying them (even though I'm a true Yorkshireman!)
On the matter or unusual colours in veg I planted some Highland Burgundy potatoes this year. Gave me a great shock when I peeled them. They had a red centre and red spots on the outside. I thought it was pink rot! They stayed red on cooking as well. An unusual spud for the plate! How about purple peas and pink chips!
As regards pH and veg here is an interesting link
http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa012803a.htm
If you had actually cooked your peas with a drop of vinegar they would have come out red - all due to the anthocyanins!

[HeyWayne]

Cool peas ma.

LadyWayne is a big fan of mushy peas (being a Northen lass like), and we both think that them's good looking fish and chips!

[Rhona]

Lordy that's taken me back! We used to go with my father to the cattle market on a Saturday morning and once we'd finished looking at the livestock, we had our little treat of mushy peas and fresh oysters at Eric's Oyster Bar. I LOVED mushy peas! There were huge bowls of fresh mint sauce to sprinkle on with misshapen spoons... gosh. My dad died when I was 16 and that's just brought a lovely rush of memories so thanks for that! x