Tuesday 28 October 2014

Preston Parched Peas

 Journey to the heart of Lancashire and you will discover the local delicacy of parched peas and at this stall in Preston combine them with baked potatoes. They are also traditionally eaten on bonfire night in November out of a cup with salt and malt vinegar.  So what are parched peas?  They are black peas soaked overnight and then simmered, hence the name parched which is an old term for a long slow boiling. (Recipe here) The man on the right doesn't want to waste any time in eating his. As I live in what is historically known as Lancashire North of the Sands, they are not sold here, only the traditional accompaniment to fish and chips, mushy peas, which are cooked in a similar way only with dried marrowfat peas and bicarbonate of soda.

The Roberts family have been selling their popular baked potatoes and parched peas in Preston since 1955 but the van was showing its age so they decided on a new build, not the usual generic food van but a replica of a Preston Guild tram.  This was built in time for the Preston Guild celebration in 2012 (the next Guild will be in 2032) and the      
birth dates of Keith Jr's children were used as the tram number.  Here the tram is seen operating from the Market Square, in the background is the newly renovated (and now gleaming white) Cenotaph for those who died in the Great War.  Designed by Sir Gilbert Scott (1880-1960),  famous as the architect for Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Battersea Power Station and the red   
Phone Box.  This row of phone boxes is just around the corner from the square.  Replaced by a more utilitarian design in the 1980s by British Telecom around 2000 of these red boxes were given listed status and remain, some were adopted locally and turned to another use such as libraries, art galleries and even a defibrillator station and some were sold so it is not unusual to spot one in a garden. The use of the telephone box is of course in rapid decline with the use of mobiles and I don't think many of them would remain except for the fact that BT has a "Universal Services Obligation" to retain them.  In the middle of nowhere with no mobile phone signal and an emergency a red box would be a welcome sight.  

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at P here

      

9 comments:

Rajesh said...

Great place. I would love to taste this local delicacy.

Roger Owen Green said...

I've had peas and potatoes, but not at a stand!

ROG, ABCW

Anonymous said...

You came up with a lot of great options for the letter P. I've never tried parched peas before...

Lmkazmierczak said...

Enjoyed reading about the tradition...thanks for the little history session♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/prickly-burrs/

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

I've never heard of parched peas, so I'm truly intrigued. Of course, I'd love to be able to have them from that clever stall in Preston. Happy ABC Wednesday and Blessings!

Ann said...

Their new build is really a neat looking. The food sounds delicious.
ann

LindyLouMac said...

Calling by from ABC Wednesday, Parched Peas are definitely a new one on me!

Trubes said...

I've not heard of Parched peas before but eat mushy peas with fish and chips, being a 'foodie', by nature I will have to try the recipe....Plenty of fibre in those ingredients!

Di x

Shady Gardener said...

I'd never heard of Parched Peas until now. So, can you tell me how you eat them? Just plain, or do you sprinkle something on them?
I've copied the recipe and will try it! :-)
If you follow your link to the recipe, someone added another recipe in the comment section. What do you think of this one??