Creamed Peas - My Incredible Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are cream peas and lady peas the same? ›

The distinguishing factor is size and taste — lady peas are smaller and sweeter than other cowpeas. Lady peas go by a number of names, including lady cream peas, lady cowpeas, conch peas, and zipper cream peas.

Field peas, crowder peas, cream peas (along with blackeye peas) are all part of a larger species of beans commonly called “cowpeas” or “Southern peas.” Despite their names, none of these varieties is actually a pea.

Lady peas are smaller, sweeter, and more tender than most peas. If you can't find them, look for fresh black-eyed, purple-hull, pink eye, or crowder peas. In a pinch, substitute cooked dried peas, and proceed with step 2.

There are three types of Southern peas: crowder, cream, and black-eyed. Crowders have a robust flavor, cream peas are more mild, and the flavor of black-eyed peas is somewhere in between.

White Acre peas are considered a cream or semi-crowder pea, because the seeds are somewhat crowded in the pod, but not nearly as much as other crowder pea varieties. They are also commonly referred to as field peas or cowpeas and are related to black-eyed, pink-eyed, and purple-hulled peas.

Lady Cream Peas are a type of cowpea. They have no color and, when cooked, they yield a clear pot liquor. They have a sweet flavor and creamy texture and are featured in Southern dishes.

Lady peas, also known as rice peas, are very small cream peas. There is a variety called Lady, but many of the lady peas are grown with Elite peas.

Peas can take as little as 54-days to mature, but they average about 60 to 70 days before they can be harvested. And just as scheduled, by early July these peas were plump, and ready to be picked. The pea, Pisum sativum, is an annual herbaceous legume in the family Fabaceae. Our peas are so fresh and green.

Shelled peas are most flavorful and eaten soon after harvest—otherwise, the quality declines rapidly. Harvest sugar snap peas any time after peas begin to form in the pod and continue picking until the pods are fully elongated, about 3 inches (7 cm) long.

Within the thin green pods, are 12 to 14 medium, creamy-white “peas.” Cream peas are slightly flattened and oval, and look more like beans than they do peas, without a visible 'eye'. Cream peas have a mild, sweet and nutty flavor and a soft, creamy texture.

Why are lady peas called lady peas? ›

According to Victory Seeds, lady peas are an old Southern heirloom that dates back to the early 1800s, and one of the first commercially available varieties. The name likely comes from the pea's small size and delicate flavor.

Mushy peas, also known as 'Yorkshire caviar', are dried marrow fat peas, mature green peas that are allowed to dry out naturally in the field. In Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and parts of Lincolnshire, mushy peas are often served as a snack on their own.

Whether you're dealing with dietary restrictions, allergies, or simply looking for a change, finding a substitute for peas is an opportunity to explore new flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits. Green beans, edamame, chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, and barley are just a few options to consider.

Field Pea: Robust, viny type usually with smaller seeds that produce a dark liquid when cooked. Crowder Pea: Starchy seeded types “crowded” into the pods, normally cooking up dark. Cream Pea: Smaller plant type with light colored seeds that cook up light.

Snap peas are also known as sugar snap peas and are a cross between snow peas and garden peas. The whole pod is eaten and has a crunchy texture and very sweet flavor. Snap peas may be eaten raw or cooked.

Purple hulls have a creamy taste, while black-eyed peas are described as more earthy. To find either fresh, you'll need to track down a local farmer who grows them. Fresh black-eyed peas will be easier to find, but if you are lucky enough to find the purple hulls, act fast and get them while you can.