Culture

Carlin peas have deep roots in British food culture but are now little known outside regional pockets of appreciation in the North of England. Seed Sovereignty is working to raise awareness of carlin peas. Northern England coordinator Catherine Howell describes their recent "Carlin Wednesday" celebration.

In our work at Hodmedod we celebrate and enjoy pulses every day of the year, but World Pulses Day is an opportunity to step back and consider the wider picture. Pulses really can play a crucial role in mitigating the global challenges of poverty, food security and nutrition, human health, and soil health.

Mayocoba, Rio Zape, Ayocote, Rebosero, Eye of Goat, Good Mother Stallard. Just some of the many varieties of beans sold by Rancho Gordo – our bean heroes. On February 11th (5pm), as part of the Gaia Foundation’s Seed Gathering Hodmedod's Josiah Meldrum will be in conversation with Steve Sando, founder of Rancho Gordo and joyous, irreverent pulse pioneer.  

Adam Alexander's new book The Seed Detective is an inspirational call to deepen our relationship with the vegetables we eat by exploring the cultural wealth of their origins and stories. Every chapter is a fascinating journey of discovery. We're delighted to share Adam's history of fava beans along with some lovely photos of beans growing in his garden. Enjoy!

Miller's Choice, a wheat population, was created over twelve years by Andrew Forbes of Brokewell Bake, using 19th century (and older) tall wheat varieties as a starting point. Its heritage means it's particularly well suited to low input farming systems and our Miller's Choice was grown organically by John and Alice Pawsey in Suffolk.

How do you eat your peas? Whole or soft? Parched or mushy? Black or green? Carlin or marrowfat? (We’re talking proper dried peas here, not those Johnny-come-lately immature fresh “garden pea” imposters*.)

Religion, folklore and now Facebook encourage us to give things up for Lent. And if you’ve got a meat-, alcohol-, chocolate- or sugar-shaped hole in your life for the next few weeks, there are centuries of history behind the foodstuff you could fill it with: carlin peas