Snow Peas or Chinese Peas, (P. sativum macrocarpum)

Most of us are aware of the thin, almost flat pea pods that are a common ingredient in Chinese dishes, either very lightly cooked or eaten raw. Inside the flat pod are tiny flat peas. They are sweet, crisp, and bright green in color and have become so popular that most supermarkets will have them in their specialty produce sections.
Sugar Snap Peas

A cross between Snow Peas and English Green Peas, these crunchy, sweet, succulent pods are usually eaten raw in their entirety. The peas inside are fully developed, plump, round, and delicious. Look for the Dwarf Grey Sugar or Mammoth Melting Sugar varieties for exceptional results. The French called them mange-tout, translated as eat the whole thing.
History: Archaeologists and historians have unearthed peas in ancient tombs and have found dated pictures and writings discussing the virtues of the pea. They think the garden pea originated in either China or Egypt.
The Chinese believed that their emperor, Shu Nung, discovered peas 5000 years ago. Called the Chinese Father of Agriculture, he is said to have wandered around the countryside observing and collecting plants, looking for those which might be suitable for food or medicine. Potential edibles were fed to a dog, then a servant and, if both survived, the emperor himself would taste the new food.
In Norse mythology, Thor gave peas to humans as a punishment, not a gift. One version of the legend says that he sent flying dragons to use them to fill up and foul all of the wells on earth. The dragons were a little clumsy though, and some of the peas landed on fertile ground, giving the people a new vegetable. To calm and flatter the even angrier Thor, the mortals dedicated the vegetable to him and ate peas only on his day, Thursday.
The earliest charred remains of peas were found at Troy and at Thebes in Egyptian tombs of the 12th dynasty. Peas were not a common staple in early history. Romans preferred the taste of chickpeas and of certain vetch and lupine seed. In the Middle Ages, peas were regarded as Lenten fare. They were dried and kept against times of famine.
Nutritional Information: All peas are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin, folate, iron and phosphorus. Green peas are second only to lima beans as a fresh vegetable source of protein. Only about five percent of all green peas grown come to the market fresh. Frozen peas retain their color, flavor and nutrients better than canned and are lower in sodium. Snow peas are lower in protein since their seeds are very small, however they provide twice the calcium and slightly more iron than green-shelled peas. Nutritional Data
Selection: At the market, choose peas that have been stored at a cool temperature, with pods that are firm. Avoid overlarge pods. Large peas will have a starchy taste. Choose snow peas that have pods that are shiny and flat without a twisted appearance. Sugar snaps should be bright green and firm to be the sweetest. Plan on buying about a pound of peas for every cup of peas you want. Since snow and sugar snaps are eaten in the shell, buy 1/4 pound for each serving.
Storage: For the sweetest flavor, serve peas as soon after picking or buying as possible. As peas age, the sugar content turns to starch, making the peas less sweet. Store all peas in the shell in the crisper section of your refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag. Use within two days.
Preparation: A pea, although treated as a vegetable in cooking, is botanically a fruit. Pea pods are soft, tender, and edible. Shell the peas just before cooking or serving. To prepare shell peas, break off the stem end and strip the string along the edge. Pop the pod open and, with your thumb, scrape the peas out. Wash and cook.

For snow peas and sugar-snaps, rinse well before use. Prepare snow peas by snipping off both end with a knife or kitchen shears. Strings will not be noticeable. Sugar-snap peas are prepared by snipping the ends and removing the strings from both sides of the pod. Eat raw or cooked.
Overcooking the pods will make them come apart. They should be lightly steamed or quickly fried in oil to retain a touch of crispness. Snap peas may be frozen but should not be canned since high temperatures destroy the structure of the pods.
Snap peas may be used in a salad, omelet, soup, or stew. By themselves, they can be eaten as a substitute for french fries, stuffed, or batterfried.
Pea Facts:
Peas found by archaeologists on the Thai-Burmese border have been carbon-dated to 9750 B.C.

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