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  • From: Alliums <garlicgrower AT earthlink.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Pea shoots
  • Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 08:27:41 -0500

Paul wrote:



I just got a request from a chef for pea shoots and was wondering how people are growing them.
Which varieties are good?
Can you use field peas or is it a snow pea only kind of thing?

Pea shoots are hugely popular in Chinese cuisine (for years, you had to ask for them specifically in Philadelphia Chinese restaurants because the Chinese weren't going to waste them on folks who were just experiments with the cuisine), so I'd stay away from the field peas and go with snow peas UNLESS you notice that a shelling or snap pea just tosses off the shoots. Also stay away from "leafless" varieties, as they don't have the nice green leaves everyone wants. If you have some seed of a tall variety (once again, you're going for shoots and leaves) that you don't want to bother to pick, grow them for the shoots rather than the peas.


Best way to grow them?

Just like any other pea. Give them some support so that the plants don't fall on the ground and get dirty -- more work to clean them!

What stage are they harvested at?

That depends on your chef -- some folks like them blossoming, some just want a mass of green leaves.

What are the retail and wholesale prices?

If you have any Asian markets or restuarants, check out the prices there - they have been using them the longest and will have the best idea of what those "in the know" are prepared to pay. If you can charge speciality prices to those playing with a upscale food item, charge as high as you can get!

Dorene
Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden

A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460





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