Black peas, also known as carlin peas, were a staple in Elizabethan England and have been around since the Middle Ages. They are still grown today and traditionally served on Passion Sunday in the north of England. They can be eaten hot or cold and are found in some pubs and winter fairs.
Black peas are a type of hard brown peas that became popular in the time of Elizabeth I in England. Thought to have originated in monastic gardens in the Middle Ages, these peas are known by many colorful names, such as brown peas, maple peas and pigeon peas. Also known as carlin peas, gray badgers and black badgers, these peas were a staple in people’s diets during those times and may have been around as early as the 1300s. They were used to feed pigeons but are now classified as an heirloom or a variety of inheritance. These peas can still be grown from seed today and their cultivation is similar to that of sweet peas – the plants can grow to a height of about six feet (almost two meters) with enough sunlight and water can provide a bountiful harvest which can be used fresh or left to dry for winter use.
Well known in the Northern part of England, peas have an interesting legend surrounding them. In 1644, the city of Newcastle was besieged by the Scottish army, who hoped to capture the city and gain advantage of its coal reserves. Newcastle proved resolute, however, and soldiers cut off the city’s food supplies in an effort to starve the people. When things were looking truly bleak, a Dutch ship loaded with dried black peas avoided the blockade and reached port on Passion Sunday, thus saving the day. From then on, the tradition began of serving these brown peas on Passion Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Lent, now known as Carlino Sunday.
Typically prepared by soaking overnight and boiling for a few hours, these black peas are served hot with a little salt and pepper and a dash of vinegar. Some prefer to fry them in butter with some brown sugar and rum or serve them with some vegetables. Salt is not added during the cooking process because it prevents the peas from softening. They are sometimes eaten as a snack when roasted with beef seasonings, and some recipes call for them to be cooked with a shank of ham. Normally eaten mushy, black peas can be eaten hot or cold and are found in the bars of many pubs in the north east of England on Carlin Sundays.
Thus the consumption of black peas spread to Lancashire, Yorkshire and other parts of England. Although this tradition died down in the 1950s, they can still be found in some pubs. They are eaten in the north-western parts of England on bonfire night and can be found at some winter fairs. Children may be served hot carlin peas in a plastic cup on Carlin Sunday at the end of a church service. There is also a saying from the psalms and hymns related to Lent that helps people remember the order of days that goes: “Tid, Mid, Miseray, Carlin, Palm, Pace-Egg Day.
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