Peas are absolutely easy and quick to grow. Robin Weiss in San Carlos, CA, planted them this year.
You can see her harvesting here (helped by Julian).Peas are cool-season vegetables, fast-growing, and almost fool-proof even for beginning gardeners. There is definitely a thrill to hunting and plucking ripe pods.
The restaurant at the Tate Modern in London serves a pea soup that is beyond memorable. I recently compared notes with a friend who had been to the gallery and mentioned the soup in the same breath as the artwork. Here's a recipe from www.foodnetwork.com that I tried and loved, but I can't promise it matches up to the soup at the Tate. Certainly you have to provide your own view--because the view of the Thames and London's east end with all its new buildings is quite something.
Fresh Pea Soup with Mint
Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground white pepper
2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
Toasted French bread, as an accompaniment
Directions
In a saucepan cook onion in butter, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until tender. Add peas and broth and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, or until peas are tender. Stir in mint.
In a blender puree soup until smooth and pour through a coarse sieve back into pan. Heat soup over moderate heat until hot and remove pan from heat. Add white pepper and salt, to taste, and stir in all but 4 teaspoons buttermilk.
Divide soup between 4 bowls and gently spoon remaining buttermilk onto each serving.
Copyright 2006 Television Food Network.
