Black peas

Black peas, also called parched peas or dapple peas, form a traditional Lancashire dish served often, with lashings of malt vinegar, on or around Bonfire Night (5 November). The dish is popular in Bury, Preston, Rochdale, Oldham, Wigan, Bolton and Heywood, and is made from the purple podded pea (Pisum sativum var. arvense)[1] which is soaked overnight and simmered to produce a type of mushy pea. Parching is a now-defunct term for long slow boiling.[2]

These are field peas, left to dry on the plant, as distinct from garden peas, picked green for consumption fresh. The Carlin pea dates back to the 12th century.[3] It is said that Martin Frobisher buried caches of these peas on Baffin Island in the 1570s to sustain his expedition while seeking the Northwest Passage.[4]

Consumption

Black peas are commonly found at fairgrounds[5] and mobile food counters. They are traditionally eaten from a cup with salt and vinegar. They can be served hot or cold, the former being especially popular in the winter months. At fairgrounds, they were traditionally served in white porcelain mugs and eaten with a spoon. In more recent years, they have been served in thick white disposable cups. Many people fail to re-create the same taste that black peas provide when bought at a funfair. In the "world famous" Bury Market and in Preston, parched peas are sold ready-cooked and served in brown-paper bags or in plastic tubs, as an autumn delicacy.

Consumption is limited to certain areas within the historical boundaries of Lancashire, notably Oldham, Wigan, Bury, Rochdale, Preston, Stalybridge, Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley and Bolton.

Carlin peas

Carlin peas are a similar dish, prepared slightly differently, made in the northeast of England and parts of Cumbria. They are a traditional staple of Carlin Sunday (the Sunday before Palm Sunday).[6] Unlike the Lancashire black peas, Carlin peas are fried with butter or dripping for a few minutes after boiling. They are often boiled for an hour rather than being slow boiled for up to three hours. They are also served fried and seasoned with vinegar and black pepper, but sometimes with rum and brown sugar.

It has been suggested that the name "Carlin" comes from "Carling Sunday" or "Care Sunday" after the population of Newcastle were saved from starvation in a siege of 1327 or 1644 when a ship arrived from Norway with a cargo of these peas on that day.[7]

A children's rhyme counts out the Sundays of Lent as "Tid, Mid, Misere; Carlin, Palm, Pace-Egg Day", referring to the second Sunday when "Te Deum" was sung; the third when "Mi Deus" was sung; the Sunday when the "Misere Mei" was chanted; Carlin Sunday; Palm Sunday; and Pace Eggs on Easter Sunday.[8][9]

Other names given are pigeon peas (not to be confused with the tropical pigeon pea Cajanus cajan), black badgers, and brown badgers.

Availability

The availability of black peas is seasonal; they are typically available from the end of October and throughout November. They are available from local stores and also pet shops (as the peas are a good carp bait) although peas from pet shops may not necessarily be food-grade.[10]

Carlin peas can be bought for home preparation in at least two varieties, "Red Fox" and "Black Badger", and the latter are available tinned in water. This product, from Hodmedod's, won the Soil Association's BOOM Award 2016 as winner of "Store cupboard items" and overall winner in the "Pantry" category.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ "The Art and Mystery of Food: Grey, Black, Carling, Pigeon Peas and "Burning the Witch"". Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  2. ↑ "Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire Regional Dishes, Foods & Delicacies". Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
  3. ↑ Greene, Wesley (2012). Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way: 18th-Century Methods for Today's Organic Gardeners. Rodale. p. 8. ISBN 9781609611637. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  4. ↑ Albala, Ken (2017). Beans: A History. Bloomsbury.
  5. ↑ "Wigan World". Retrieved 2007-12-12.
  6. ↑ Society for Folk Life Studies (1964). "Carlin Peas". Folk Life (9). ISSN 0430-8778.
  7. ↑ "Carlin Peas or Brown Badgers". The Foods of England Project. Retrieved 26 February 2018. Includes facsimile of article from Westmorland Gazette 26 March 1836
  8. ↑ Grigson, Jane (2007). Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book. University of Nebraska Press. p. 369. ISBN 9780803259942. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  9. ↑ "Carlin peas: a Northern tradition". Heritage and History. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  10. ↑ "Top 10 Particle Baits - Part Two". Super Catch. Retrieved 2016-05-22.
  11. ↑ "Pantry". BOOM - the 2016 winners. Soil Association. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  12. ↑ "Carlin peas in water, organic". Hodmedod. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
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