SC - My first attempt at a period(ish) recipe. (Very Long!)

[Bonne of Traquair]

I see, in reading through the Florilegium, that this topic was a hot 
one almost exactly 2 years ago, before i joined the list.

I see that just what was meant by "white peas", and even if the color 
"white" was actually meant, is one of those Medieval mysteries, just 
as is what is meant by "pea puree".

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Here's a URL with some history, giving them an old pedigree in India 
and pointing to the Spanish, as well as Africans, as bringing them to 
the New World:
http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu/FlaFoodFare/SouthPea.htm

- ----- cut & paste -----

Florida Food Fare
by Jean Meadows
Extension Agent IV
Cooperative Extension Service for Sarasota County

Southern Peas
as written for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Food Section, August, 29, 1998

Description:  a group of peas known by several common names and in 
the United States are called "Field peas", "Crowder Peas", "Purple 
Hulls", "Cowpeas"  and "Black-eyes", but Southern Peas in the 
preferred name.  There are three types of Southern peas: crowder, 
black-eyed and cream. Crowders have a robust flavor and produce a 
dark liquor when cooked.   Black-eyes have a less robust flavor that 
produce a lighter liquor and cream peas are the mildest.

History:   originated in India as long as 3,000 years ago, they were 
also a staple of Greek and Roman diets.  They were later grown in 
Africa, then brought to America.   In India Southern peas are known 
by 50 common names.  The black-eyed pea, also known as the cowpea, is 
thought to have originated  in North Africa,  where it  has been 
eaten for centuries.  The peas were probably introduced to the New 
World by Spanish explorers and African slaves, and have become a 
common food in the southern United States.  Southern peas also are 
grown to improve soil fertility and structure.

Availability: Most areas of Florida are able to plant two crops a 
year of Southern peas so they are available fresh in Florida almost 
year round. Peas from north Florida are available on the market now. 
Peas are also available in several forms: dried, fresh, canned and 
frozen.

Selection and Care: If purchased in the shell, peas are best when 
shelled and cooked immediately.  Although they will keep refrigerated 
4-5 days, the peas will lose moisture to the pods.  "The fresher, the 
better" is the key to ultimate flavor.  If you cannot find fresh peas 
or do not want to shell them, then buy them frozen.  Frozen peas are 
also excellent in flavor and far superior to the canned products.

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I have not verified the accuracy of the above, but it sounds plausible...

Additionally, i see that white peas are still grown and used in India 
- - and they even has "split white peas" - where they appear on 
web-search to be known as matar (but that's just "pea" in general), 
ghugni,  thattaipayir, and arveja. We've got LOTS of Indian and 
Pakistani markets around here, so i'll go check them out and see if 
they have white peas.

Anahita al-shazhiyya