Fresh or frozen
Available all year round, fresh British peas are at their peak during summer. In their frozen state, peas are one of the few vegetables that retain their flavour. If given a choice between buying peas well-past their prime, but in their pod, and frozen ones - go for the latter.

As the season moves on from June and July, peas in their pod become bigger and develop a more pronounced flavour. They also take longer to cook.

After picking, their naturally sweet character starts to become starchy and floury in texture. To preserve their fresh, sweet flavour, it's best to cook them soon after picking. Look for firm, brightly-hued pods with a crisp texture. Mature peas with a floury texture are ideal for soup-making.

Petit pois are immature fresh peas and not a separate variety. They have a distinctive sweet flavour.

If podding peas is too much of a labour of love, many supermarkets sell fresh and tender shelled peas, but at a price!

The pea family

Mangetout
A member of the podded pea family of vegetables, mangetout is native to western Asia. Unlike most pea varieties, these ones don't contain a stiff, difficult to digest inner parchment inside their pods, and are eaten whole, with the tiny, undeveloped peas inside.

Sugar snap peas
Similar to mange tout, but more rounded in shape. Sugar snap peas are eaten with the pods and are noted for their delicate taste. Aim to serve them slightly crunchy rather than fully-cooked. They make a great addition to stir-fries and salads...

Yellow split peas
Split dried yellow peas, dal, are an Indian staple and soaked before cooking. Unlike fresh peas, these pulses have a meaty robust character, well-suited to soups and stews.

In the kitchen
Besides making a great side dish when blanched and treated to a pat of butter, they also make tasteful additions to salads.

For every kilo of pods, you'll end up with around 400-450g peas. It's an idea to set aside around 225-250g per person, if you're serving them as a side dish.

Top tips
When blanching peas for a salad, run them under cold water after cooking - this helps fix their colour retain a fresh flavour.

Add a handful of peas to risottos and rice pilaffs for a fresh flavour and splash of colour. Ring the changes and combine them with eggs - Spanish omelettes, frittatas, and stuffed hard-boiled eggs with pea puree.

For a flavoursome flourish, team them with ingredients - crisp bacon rashers, mint, basil and chervil, shredded lettuce, spring onions, Parmesan cheese or Feta cheese.

Did you know...
Peas weren't enjoyed in their fresh state until a few hundred years ago. Mature peas were more likely to be dried before cooking.