Mushy peas (and their colour)

[JAS_OH1]

[Mod.Edit: This and following few posts med to form a new topic (MG)]

Pre-fab freezer-diving tonight:

View attachment 101760

A little hunk of beer-battered fresh, tater tots, mushy peas, with some homemade tartar sauce (mayonnaise, dill pickle, capers, garlic, pimento, and Worcestershire sauce).

How is it that your mushy peas are not olive drab green? Most mushy peas I have seen are very off-putting in appearance. I'd actually eat those.

Edit: photo attached of the of the peas in question (MG)

 

[TastyReuben]

How is it that your mushy peas are not olive drab green? Most mushy peas I have seen are very off-putting in appearance. I'd actually eat those.

Wikipedia appears to have cracked the case:

Most commercially produced mushy peas contain artificial colourants to make them green; without these the dish would be murky grey. Traditionally the controversial colourant tartrazine (E102) had been used as one of the colourants; however, as recently as 2019, major manufacturers were using a combination of brilliant blue FCF (E133) and riboflavin (E101).

 

[rascal]

Wikipedia appears to have cracked the case:

Most commercially produced mushy peas contain artificial colourants to make them green; without these the dish would be murky grey. Traditionally the controversial colourant tartrazine (E102) had been used as one of the colourants; however, as recently as 2019, major manufacturers were using a combination of brilliant blue FCF (E133) and riboflavin (E101).

We can get mushy peas here but we usually have tinned peas In brine or snap frozen fresh peas.
We aren't far away from propagating our own for xmas day .

Russ

 

[JAS_OH1]

Traditionally the controversial colourant tartrazine (E102) had been used as one of the colourants; however, as recently as 2019, major manufacturers were using a combination of brilliant blue FCF (E133) and riboflavin (E101).

I had no idea riboflavin affected color. At least it's healthy.

 

[TastyReuben]

I had no idea riboflavin affected color. At least it's healthy.

Apparently, the ones I’m using are the “controversial” ones:

 

[Morning Glory]

Yorky makes mushy peas from scratch without colouring. There is an earlier thread here: Mushy Peas

 

[karadekoolaid]

Can't say I EVER ate mushy peas as a kid. We (in the South) always thought they must have been a "Northern" thing. (ie. north of London!) Probably just some stupid biased opinion bandied around...
Anyway, I had mushy peas with my fish & chips on several occasions last year. Yep, no problem, tasty. However, I prefer whole garden peas.

 

[TastyReuben]

However, I prefer whole garden peas.

I like mushy peas because the flavor and texture is a lot like split pea soup, but thicker, and they’re easier to eat than chasing around a plateful of garden peas*.







*MrsT solves that problem by insisting on mashed potatoes whenever we have garden peas, and then puts the peas in a well in the mashed potatoes and eats them that way.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I like mushy peas because the flavor and texture is a lot like split pea soup, but thicker, and they’re easier to eat than chasing around a plateful of garden peas*.

1) I do not want soup on my plate
2) You need to dominate the refined technique of eating peas on the back of your fork. Very U, my dear boy!

 

[caseydog]

I like mushy peas because the flavor and texture is a lot like split pea soup, but thicker, and they’re easier to eat than chasing around a plateful of garden peas*.

*MrsT solves that problem by insisting on mashed potatoes whenever we have garden peas, and then puts the peas in a well in the mashed potatoes and eats them that way.

I don't like pea soup, so I don't know that I would care for mushy peas.

I do like peas, but I add them to soups or stews... or like MrsT, I make sure they are right next to a pile of mashed potatoes on my plate.

CD

 

[Yorky]

 

[JAS_OH1]

I like mushy peas because the flavor and texture is a lot like split pea soup, but thicker, and they’re easier to eat than chasing around a plateful of garden peas*.







*MrsT solves that problem by insisting on mashed potatoes whenever we have garden peas, and then puts the peas in a well in the mashed potatoes and eats them that way.

I love split pea soup. But I Iike chasing garden peas just fine. And I don't want anything on my mashed potatoes except butter and salt, usually. I'll occasionally do chicken gravy but depends on the main. I'm not fond of my foods touching each other in general--peas in my mashed potatoes doesn't seem right.

 

[karadekoolaid]

As I thought - mushy peas originated in the North of England and the Midlands. According to Wiki, in some parts of Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, mushy peas are sold as a snack, with mint sauce.
Truth is, marrowfat peas on their own, whole, are not as flavourful as the baby green peas.

 

[Morning Glory]

Truth is, marrowfat peas on their own, whole, are not as flavourful as the baby green peas.

I disagree. They are almost completely different in taste. I wouldn't even compare them. Dried peas are more like lentils with an earthy taste but they do have a sweetness which lentils lack. Dried broad beans 'ful medames' are also very different from fresh.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

*MrsT solves that problem by insisting on mashed potatoes whenever we have garden peas, and then puts the peas in a well in the mashed potatoes and eats them that way.

I just solve the problem by insisting on a spoon to eat them with.