Mushy peas 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 appeal has spread. All over Britain, but particularly in Northern England, they are commonly served as part of the popular snack of pie and peas (akin to the South Australian pie floater, but with mushy
Black peas fail to re-create the same taste that black peas provide when bought at a funfair. In the "world famous" Bury Market and in Preston, parched peas are sold ready-cooked and served in brown-paper bags or in plastic tubs, as an autumn delicacy. Consumption is limited to certain areas within the historical boundaries of Lancashire, notably Oldham, Wigan, Bury, Rochdale, Preston, Stalybridge, Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley and Bolton. Carlin peas are a similar dish, prepared slightly differently, made in the northeast of England and parts of Cumbria. They are a traditional staple of Carlin Sunday (the Sunday before Palm Sunday). Unlike the