Pea season

My favorite tomato farmer told me that by the second week in July she is usually picking 100 baskets of tomatoes each day. This week she had to make due with 30 or 40. A late spring, an even later summer, and cool wet weather has stunted her crop.

I am not sure how this weather translates to pea production. As soon as sweet plump English peas hit the market I spend an hour each weekend shelling them, and pop them like green candy. To shake up our menu just a bit I pureed peas with basil and mint, and spread the pesto over grilled bread with ricotta. These crostini might just hold their own next to a perfect tomato sandwich.

Recipes for pea-basil pesto (as well as for basil lemonade) can be had at Called to the Table today.