Exactly like corn, but only more so -- corn has been bred for years to increase the time it takes for the sugars to turn to starch. With peas, this is just starting. One or two seed companies have introduced a "supersweet" pea -- (R.H. Shumway for one has one -- I tried it but germination was terrible and I don't think I got enough peas to bother segregating them and cooking separately).

So, they won't hold very long at all -- definitely a good idea to get them in the freezer the same day you pick them. Even overnight in the fridge, they lose a LOT of sweetness.

Thank you denninmi :) I kinda had that feeling. The thing with peas though is sometimes you don't harvest enough to freeze a batch. I guess I could process and freeze alittle at a time using ziplock freezer bags ( 1 pt size) :) I rather do that than them losing the sweetness.

About freezing snow/snap peas - like you, my harvests come rather small, so as soon as I pick them, wash and spread out on a plastic tray, then freeze and put in a baggie for longer storage.

This is not the "by-the-book" method - but they can be tossed into stir fries near the end of cooking and still retain some flavor. Otherwise, we prefer them fresh cooked and eaten.

My freezer works very fast too - so that may be the closest I'll ever come to a "fast freeze" such as commercial folks can do.

Bejay

Hi - I just "returned" to - what I thought was "Garden Web" after a long "retirement" - and what a surprise to find some of my old postings still floating around. Actually, I was looking for some older ones about brining a brisket - and was able to find some of krogers "gems" - they are so priceless. Hope you like the peas and fast-freeze stuff. That works well for boysenberries too - which we grow.

Thanks v. much for the acknowledgment, bejay9_10!

About the boysenberries, I'm not surprised. Fruits aren't like vegetables, you can freeze them raw, but a bit of sugar mixed in helps even more!

- Ms. Skink.