>>>>>>My dad was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, and when I was kid, we went out for a visit (my uncle still operated the farm at that time). I remember going out just about every day to simply lie down in the pea patch and pull off new young peas, break open the pod and eat almost till I was sick. My mother laughed because she said that my grandmother told her that my dad did exactly the same thing at my age.
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>>>>>Each of our daughters, when she would be of appropriate age, would occasionally go to grandpa's vineyard just at the time when the peas would be ready. Just had to promise them they'd be allowed to eat some more tomorrow at home - so they'd stop for a bit (and sneak just a few more pods when they'd think we wouldn't look). No matter what other fruit was up, they usually wouldn't want to go (well, cherries maybe, but not cherries).
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>>>>Fresh new young peas. Nothing better. Your daughters have taste. It's too bad that so many people don't understand and insist on cooking them to oblivion. Of course, the Scottish have this nasty thing called 'mushy peas'. Now there's a people that really doesn't understand.
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>>>Hey the Scots have their own appalling food (haggis) . Mushy peas are mainly northern English passion often eaten wish fish and chips
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>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushy_peas
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>>Yeah. I know. Of course, Northern England is pretty close to Scotland, so maybe the English simply adopted the fare thinking it was edible.
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>>There is a terrific Fish & Chip place not far from me. It was originally run by a Scot, but has since been taken over by a Chinese family. They kept the 'ambiance' though. They still sell irn-bru, and give away a Scottich newspaper. And they unfortunately have 'mushy peas' on the menu. Makes me cringe.
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>Fish and chips served by the Chinese? Now there's a concept. I'm sure there are lots of jokes just lying on the ground, waiting to be picked up. Too bad my brain is running slow today.

You would be shocked... shocked I say, to learn how many f&c shops are run by the Chinese in Toronto. I swear it's almost to the point of being predictable when you walk into one who you'll see doing the cooking and the serving. I will tell you, that McCowan Fish and Chips serves up one very fine Halibut and Chips. The batter they use on the fish is very light - almost like a tempura batter. I never liked the kind of batter that requires an electric drill and a hacksaw to get through. And best of all, there's fish in the fish. I've been to too many places that seem to batter large pieces of ice so that when it cooks, the ice melts out and you are left with battered air.