Mushy peas Without the colourant the dish would be murky grey. In July 2010 an EU directive required the warning label "May have effects on activity and attention in children" to be applied to foods containing tartrazine. Mushy peas Mushy peas are dried marrowfat peas which are first soaked overnight in water with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), then rinsed in fresh water and simmered with a little sugar and salt until they form a thick green lumpy mash. Sometimes mint is used as a flavouring. In Northern England and the Midlands they are a traditional accompaniment to fish and chips, although their
Mushy peas popular in Scotland served with fish and chips or as a wetter version with vinegar in a bowl. A variant (particularly popular around Bolton, Bury, and Preston, Lancashire) is "parched peas" – carlin peas (also known as maple peas, or black peas) soaked and then boiled slowly for a long time; these peas are traditionally served with vinegar. Mushy peas have occasionally been referred to as "Yorkshire caviar". Green colouring is often used to colour mushy peas. It is typically achieved by adding the yellow and blue additives, Tartrazine (E102) and Brilliant Blue FCF (E133), which together produce the green