 Finnish pea soup andpancakes served byFinnish Defence Forces | |
| Alternative names | Split pea soup |
|---|---|
| Type | Soup |
| Place of origin | Ancient Greece orAncient Rome |
| Main ingredients | Driedpeas (split pea) |
Pea soup orsplit pea soup issoup made typically from driedpeas, such as thesplit pea. It is, with variations, a part of the cuisine of many cultures. It is most often greyish-green or yellow in color depending on the regional variety of peas used; all are cultivars ofPisum sativum.
Pea soup has been eaten sinceantiquity; it is mentioned inAristophanes'The Birds, and according to one source "the Greeks and Romans were cultivating this legume about 500 BC to 400 BC. During that era, vendors in the streets ofAthens were selling hot pea soup."[1]
Eating fresh "garden" peas before they were matured was a luxurious innovation of theEarly Modern period:[2] by contrast with the coarse, traditional peasant fare of peasepottage (orpease porridge),Potage Saint-Germain, made of fresh peas[3] and other fresh greens braised in light stock and puréed, was an innovation sufficiently refined that it could be served toLouis XIV, after whose court atChâteau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye it was named (c. 1660–1680).[clarification needed][4]
Thepie floater is an Australian dish particularly common inAdelaide. It consists of ameat pie in a thick pea soup, typically with the addition oftomato sauce. Believed to have been first created in the 1890s, the pie floater gained popularity as a meal sold by South Australian pie carts.
A pie floater commonly consists of a traditionalAustralian-style meat pie, usually sitting, but sometimes submerged (traditionally upside down) in a bowl of thick pea soup made from blue boiler peas.[5]
A well-known nursery rhyme, the first known written reference of which dates to 1765,[6] speaks of
Pease pudding hot,
Pease pudding cold,
Pease pudding in the pot
Nine days old;
Some like it hot,
Some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot,
Nine days old.
"Pease" is theMiddle English singular and plural form of the word "pea"—indeed, "pea" began as aback-formation.Pease pudding was a high-protein, low-cost staple of the diet and, made from easily stored dried peas, was an ideal form of food for sailors, particularly boiled in accompaniment withsalt pork[7] which is the origin of pea (and ham) soup. Although pease was replaced as a staple by potatoes during the nineteenth century, the food still remains popular in the national diet in the form of "mushy peas" commonly sold as the typical accompaniment tofish and chips, as well as with meat pies.
Pea soup is an English classic with many forms ranging from a thick purée, like mushy peas, to a more liquid dish. It can be made from fresh new peas or dried old peas.[8]
In 19th-century English literature, pea soup is referred to as a simple food and eating it as a sign of poverty. In theThackeray short storyA Little Dinner at Timmins's, when a character asks his wife "Why don't you ask some of our old friends? Old Mrs. Portman has asked us twenty times, I am sure, within the last two years", she replies, with "a look of ineffable scorn", that when "the last time we went there, there was pea-soup for dinner!" InThomas Hardy'sTess of the D'Urbervilles, Tess remarks that "we have several proofs that we are d'Urbervilles ... we have a very old silver spoon, round in the bowl like a little ladle, and marked with the same castle. But it is so worn that mother uses it to stir the pea-soup."
A soup of this sort made with yellow split peas is called "London particular", after thethick yellow smogs for which London was famous until theClean Air Act 1956.[9]
Soupe aux pois [jaunes] (yellow pea soup) is a traditional dish in Québec cuisine. TraditionalQuébécois cuisine influenced earlyMaine cuisine and thecuisine of Vermont.[10]
One source[11] says "The most authentic version of Quebec's soupe aux pois use whole yellow peas, withsalt pork, and herbs for flavour. After cooking, the pork is usually chopped and returned to the soup, or sometimes removed to slice thinly and served separately ... Newfoundland Pea Soup is very similar, but usually includes more vegetables such as diced turnips and carrots, and is often topped with small dumplings called dough boys or doughballs."
InNewfoundland, split peas are cooked in a bag as part of aJiggs dinner, which is known aspease pudding.
OutsideFrancophone areas, pea soup is sometimes served withjohnny cake.
InCzech cuisine, pea soup (hrachová polévka, hrachovka) is served as a creamy soup with blended peas. It is typically seasoned with garlic and marjoram and usually served with bacon, sometimes also with cream and croutons. It can be served as aChristmas dish.[12][13][14]
Pea soup is a common dish throughout Germany. It often contains meat such as bacon, sausage orKassler (cured and smoked pork) depending on regional preferences. Very often, several sausages will accompany a serving of pea soup as well as some dark bread. Ready-made soup in cans is sometimes used to prepare the dish.
One of the firstinstant products was a pea soup product, which mainly consisted ofpea meal andbeef fat (Erbswurst: pea sausage). It was invented in 1867 by Johann Heinrich Grüneberg, who sold the recipe to the Prussian state. When theFranco-Prussian War broke out, the war ministry, which had previously tested the possibility of feeding soldiers solely on instant pea soup and bread, built a large manufacturing plant and produced between 4,000 and 5,000 tons ofErbswurst for the army during the war. In 1889, theKnorr instant-food company bought the license. Knorr, which is today aUnilever brand, discontinued the production ofErbswurst on December 31, 2018.[15]
As a former Dutch colony, Indonesia has inherited this dish, known assup ercis orerwtensoep, as a result of Dutch–Indonesian culture.
Erwtensoep (Dutch:[ˈɛrtə(n)sup]ⓘ), also calledsnert (Dutch:[snɛrt]ⓘ), is the Dutch version of pea soup. It is a thick stew of green split peas, different cuts of pork,celeriac or stalkcelery, onions,leeks, carrots, and often potato. Slices ofrookworst (smoked sausage) are added before serving. The soup, which is traditionally eaten during the winter, is emblematic ofDutch cuisine.
It is customarily served with Frisianrye bread (roggebrood) and bacon, cheese or butter. The bacon is usuallykatenspek, a variety of bacon which has been cooked and then smoked. Pancakes are sometimes served with pea soup; this dish is calledsnert met struif,struif referring to the pancakes.
In the Royal Dutch Navy the pea soup is completed with small cubes of lard which float as white squares on top. It is therefore referred to asSnert met Drijfijs (pea soup with floating ice).
So-calledkoek-en-zopie outlets, small food and drinks stalls which spring up only during winters along frozen canals, ponds and lakes in the Netherlands and cater to ice skaters, usually servesnert as a savoury snack.
InSuriname, a former Dutch colony, Dutch-style pea soup is eaten as a street food.
Swedishärtsoppa;Finnishhernekeitto[ˈhernekˌkei̯tːo];Danishgul ærtesuppe;Norwegianertesuppe.
Nordic pea soup is normally cooked with pork – although the meat may sometimes be served on the side – and a typical recipe would also includeonions and herbs likethyme andmarjoram.
In Finland the soup is made of green peas; in Sweden, Norway and Denmark yellow peas are used.
In Sweden and Finland the soup is usually served with mustard and chopped onion (not in Sweden), and sometimes also with extra (dried) herbs (thyme or marjoram) to be mixed into the soup at the table. The soup is then normally followed by crêpes-likepancakes with jam (strawberry,raspberry,bilberry,cloudberry or similar) for dessert. In Sweden, the soup is sometimes accompanied by warmpunsch as a special treat.
Consumption of pea soup in Sweden and Finland dates back to at least the 13th century, and is traditionally served on Thursdays. This is said to originate in the pre-Reformation era, as preparation forfasting on Fridays. The tradition of Thursday pea soup is common in restaurants, schools, military messes and field kitchens, as well as in homes, and it forms an unpretentious but well-liked part of social life. The pancakes and the punsch are a later tradition.[16]
In Finland,Laskiainen, a winter festival associated withShrove Tuesday, is generally celebrated by eating green pea soup and either pancakes or a seasonal pastry calledlaskiaispulla. The celebration often includes downhillsledding.
The Swedish kingEric XIV (1533–1577) is said to have died after eatingarsenic-poisoned pea soup.[17] However, it is not proven that the arsenic was added to a pea soup.[18] Pea soup is also known as one of the favorite dishes of Swedish authorAugust Strindberg. He referred to pea soup asgudamat (food for the Gods).[19]
In Denmark, pea soup is served with boiled pork likepork belly andmedisterpølse, as well as mustard, pickled beets andrugbrød on the side. In addition, the dish is sometimes turned into a feast, with copious amounts of beer andsnaps on festive occasions.[20]
In Denmark the dish can be dated to 1766 in written sources, but might have originated as early as theBronze Age, when dried peas and cabbage became popular vegetables for the long winters there.[21][22][23]
In Norway pea soup is traditionally served at springtime and Easter, and is complemented with potatoes, carrots and vegetables.[citation needed]
In Poland, pea soup (grochówka[ɡrɔˈxuf.ka]ⓘ) is typically associated with themilitary, where it still remains a popular dish. This is because pea soup is nutritious and cheap, and can be easily prepared in large quantities. It is a common saying that military pea soup (grochówka wojskowa) must be thick enough to put a spoon straight up in it.[24] Though the pea soup is normally prepared in messes, the dish is typically associated withfield kitchens. Currently, decommissioned field kitchens are often used during mass events.[25]
In Ukraine, where it is known ashorokhovyi sup orhorokhivka,[26] pea soup is a very common everyday dish. It often includes smoked meat or bacon, and is commonly served withcroutons.
In the United States, "pea soup" without qualification usually means a perfectly smooth puree. A recipe for "pea soup" from 1905 is made with split peas,salt pork and cold roast beef. The soup is strained through a sieve to achieve the desired texture.[27]
"Split pea soup" is a slightly thinner soup with visible peas and pieces of ham, especially popular in the Northeast, the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. It plays a role in the light-hearted tradition of serving green-colored foods onSt. Patrick's Day. For example, a 1919 Boston Globe article suggests a suitable menu for "A St. Patrick's Day Dinner" leading off with "Cream of Green Pea Soup (American Style)", and continuing with codfish croquettes with green pea sauce, lettuce salad,pistachio ice cream, and "green decorated cake".[28]
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