A rhyme from years gone by:

“Tid, Mid, Miserai

Carlin, Palm, Paste Egg Day.

We shall have a holiday,

Bonny frocks on Easter Day.”

The Sunday before Palm Sunday, is Carlin Sunday and on it people in the North & North East traditionally eat Carlin Peas. In the North West where the are consumed mainly around Bonfire Night, where they are traditionally called Brown Peas. Carlins are really Maple Peas, and other names for them are Black Peas, Brown Peas, Brown Badgers and Pigeon Peas. I would also like to add a thank you to Paul Froggatt from Solihull who has informed us that they are called Grey Peas (or Paes) in the West Midlands, and in honour of his continued purchasing from us, I am now attaching part of his letter & recipe to us (below).

Once again I am in satisfactory receipt of these often maligned peas for which I thank you. I remain disappointed in one regard, however, and that is that you still revere butter and vinegar as the holy grail recipe for this product of the leguminous plant. [It is printed on the label] This is a great shame. You Northern folk are missing a truly wonderful traditional cheap dish - BLACK COUNTRY GREY PEAS & BACON Soak the Carlin/Grey peas overnight then gently simmer for 3-4 hours maybe longer. Keep eye on water level. 1-2 hours before ready add generous quantity of fatty bacon pieces. That is all. No lentils or onion. Nothing. No salt should be necessary. A little Worcester Sauce added at the table, possibly, and eaten with crusty bread and you have a dish fit for a king! [Well, for his lunch, anyway] Try it - I shan't tell you again.