Marrowfat peas Marrowfat peas Marrowfat peas are green mature peas that have been allowed to dry out naturally in the field, rather than be harvested whilst still young like the normal garden pea. They are used to make mushy peas, and also the snack food wasabi peas. Marrowfat peas with a good green color are exported from England to the Middle East and Japan for the snack food market, while paler peas are used for canning. Those with thin skins and a soft texture are ideal for making mushy peas. Marrowfat is a traditional, starchy, large-seeded variety of pea ("Pisum sativum" var.
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