Speckled Snow Peas
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Speckled Snow peas are small, flat pods, averaging 5 to 10 centimeters in length, and have an oblong shape with tapered ends. The pods can be slightly twisted or curved and often reveal the outline of the seeds enclosed, giving the surface a bumpy appearance. The pods also display distinct, variegated hues of maroon and gold, and each pod will be unique in its coloring and speckled appearance. Within the compressed pods, there are 4 to 7 small, round, and pale green to yellow seeds. Speckled Snow peas are harvested young, contributing to the variety’s crisp, tender, and slightly chewy consistency. Both the seeds and the pod are edible, and the pods contain a fresh, vegetal, and earthy flavor, while the seeds bear mild, sweet, and grassy nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Speckled Snow peas are available year-round, with peak growing seasons in the early spring and late summer.
Current Facts
Speckled Snow peas, botanically classified as Pisum sativum var. saccharatum, are a rare variety of garden pea belonging to the Fabaceae family. The variegated peas are a cool-weather cultivar grown for their distinctly colored pods and edible tendrils, young leaves, and stems. Speckled Snow peas were created by well-known pea breeder Dr. Calvin Lamborn and are selectively released through his company, Calvin’s Seeds, to growers under strict contracts to ensure quality crops are being produced. Due to their limited availability, Speckled Snow peas are highly favored among chefs for their coloring, sweet flavor, tender nature as an exclusive culinary ingredient.
Nutritional Value
Speckled Snow peas are an excellent source of fiber to stimulate the digestive tract and are a good source of vitamin K to assist in faster wound healing, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and B vitamins. The peas also contain folate to develop red blood cells, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and provide lower amounts of iron, copper, manganese, potassium, zinc, and calcium.
Applications
Speckled Snow peas have a fresh, sweet, and vegetal flavor well-suited for both raw and cooked applications such as stir-frying, sautéing, simmering, and blanching. It is important to note that snow peas are known for having a faster cooking time than other varieties and should not be overcooked to retain their crisp consistency. Speckled Snow peas can be used raw, tossed into green salads or they can be chopped and mixed with other vegetables and herbs to create a bright side dish. The peas can also be sliced and incorporated into fresh spring rolls, displayed on vegetable platters with dips, or blended into sauces or dips. In addition to raw preparations, Speckled Snow peas can be lightly cooked and mixed into stir-fries, chopped and tossed into curries and soups, served with roasted meats, or sauteed as a stand-alone side dish. The variety is sometimes grown as a microgreen and as pea shoots for its sweet flavor. Beyond the pods, the leaves and tendrils of Speckled Snow peas are frequently used in salads, syrups, ice cream, and stock for soups. Speckled Snow peas pair well with carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, herbs such as tarragon, parsley, mint, and cilantro, ricotta, garlic, ginger, and meats such as poultry, beef, turkey, and fish. Fresh, unwashed Speckled Snow peas will keep 3 to 4 days when stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Once cooked, the pods will keep up to 5 days when stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Dr. Calvin Lamborn, the creator of Speckled Snow peas, spent most of his life on his 4.5-acre farm in Twin Falls, Idaho, dedicated to creating new varieties of peas. Lamborn received a Ph.D. in plant virology, and his most notable accomplishment was the development of the sugar snap pea. Often referred to by Lamborn as an accident, Lamborn noticed a favorable pod mutation on a pea plant and selected the seeds for continued cultivation. Through traditional crossbreeding techniques, Lamborn created the original snap pea and is frequently known among other breeders as the “father of the sugar snap pea.” Lamborn attributes his success in pea cultivation to his curiosity and love for peas. Varieties such as Speckled Snow peas were developed to give chefs a new variety with unique appearances and flavors. Lamborn viewed chefs as artists and enjoyed seeing the creative ways they would incorporate his pea cultivars into their dishes. In the modern-day, Lamborn’s legacy has been left in the hands of his son, Rod Lamborn, and their seed company contains more than 900 varieties of peas to continue their quest for pea biodiversity in the growing seed-to-table movement.
Geography/History
Speckled Snow peas were created through traditional, non-GMO crossbreeding techniques performed by Dr. Calvin Lamborn on his farm in Twin Falls, Idaho. Lamborn, a well-known plant breeder, was famous for creating many different varieties of peas and is recognized worldwide for his creation of the sugar snap pea. Lamborn passed away in 2017, but his company, Calvin’s Seeds, also known as the Magic Seed Company, is being run by his son Rod Lamborn. Today Speckled Snow peas are a rare variety that is grown under contract through select farms in partnership with Calvin’s Seeds. The colorful pods are sold through specialty distributors across the United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Speckled Snow Peas. One
is easiest, three is harder.
