shellin' peas

I spent a recent sunny Sunday afternoon shelling peas with The Husband, my father-in-law, and my grandmother-in-law, who, I'm told, is one of the best pea-shellin' fools in the state. I'd never taken part in this old-fashioned Texas pastime before, and I was surprised at how fun and relaxing it was. Some of the shells were effortlessly easy to open, like pulling apart a shiny, new zipper. Others needed to be forced open, and green bits of pea shell were protruding from my nails. I loved how minty green the peas were, and the smell... don't even get me started. I couldn't wait to eat some. Luckily, we were given a small sandwich bag full of the tiny morsels. I simmered them in hot water for an hour and a half and finished them off with a healthy dose of Worchestershire sauce, sea salt, and pepper. I'm a pea-lovin' maniac now.