English Peas

Description 
Peas date back to ancient times and are believed to be native to Europe and parts of Asia. Cultivation of peas however is thought to have begun in the seventeenth century when plant breeders in England began developing new and improved varieties of garden peas. The modern english pea was named as such due to the plethora of new varieties that were breed there. Because of their long shelf life dried peas traveled to the new world with explorers and became one of the first crops grown by early colonists. An Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel, performed famous plant breeding experiments in the second half of the nineteenth century and used peas as his basis. His work with pea plants is perceived as the foundation of modern genetics. English peas have a large bright green pod which encases plump, round peas or berries. The pods grow on vines and unlike snow and sugar snap peas are too fibrous to be edible, however the pods are great to use in Vegetarian Broths. Pods must be shelled