Is anyone familiar with pea salad?

**RittenhouseGirl** · 12-18-2011, 03:33 PM

I think I might have found another regional specialty, one that might not exist in the Northeast U.S.

My fiance asked me to make pea salad as a side dish for Christmas. He is from the Midwest and says it is very common there. My friend from Georgia is also familiar with this dish.

Apparently, pea salad is mixed sweet peas, chopped cheese, choppd egg, bacon, pickles, and a mayo dressing. There are variations of course.

I am not sure I find the sound of it so appealing, but it is a Christmas sidedish for many.

Have any of you ever heard of this or tried it?

I love finding regional American foods.

**thoth** · 12-18-2011, 04:51 PM

never ever heard of this dish before. sort of sounds like a cobb salad minus the lettuce.

**BeckyJ** · 12-18-2011, 05:17 PM

I've heard of it; never tried it since I hate hard-boiled eggs.

**Sycamore** · 12-18-2011, 07:16 PM

Pea salad is popular with the Amish. You just have to travel a bit west of you to find it.

**dogoagogo** · 12-18-2011, 07:29 PM

That sounds really good. I'd cut the mayonnaise with labna or sour cream I think. But - yeah!

**toxigal** · 12-18-2011, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Sycamore

Pea salad is popular with the Amish. You just have to travel a bit west of you to find it.

i grew up in Lancaster, surrounded by amish families and stores and have never heard of pea salad! Since the OP mentioned that her fiance is from the midwest i wonder if it is more ohio amish than lancaster county amish?

**toxigal** · 12-18-2011, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by dogoagogo

That sounds really good. I'd cut the mayonnaise with labna or sour cream I think. But - yeah!

i have no idea what labna is, but i did a double (okay triple) take when i first read your post because i could not figure out why you would want to cut the mayo with labia.

**Beutelratte** · 12-18-2011, 11:45 PM

Paula Deen does it - Garden Pea Salad Recipe : Paula Deen : Food Network - and I have to admit, it doesn't look very appetizing. Must be an acquired taste!
On the other hand, this one - http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1643...249196,00.html - is a layered salad that might be very pretty on the table. Plus, it has BACON, and anything with BACON can't be all bad! ;-)

**borntochill** · 12-19-2011, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by toxigal

i have no idea what labna is, but i did a double (okay triple) take when i first read your post because i could not figure out why you would want to cut the mayo with labia.

Maybe because everything tastes better with labia?

**raider.adam** · 12-19-2011, 01:50 AM

Grew up in Illinois and mom made something similar and it was called "peas and cheese salad". She did a much more basic recipe though: sweet peas, chopped up velveeta and mayonaise.

**Polar Cub** · 12-19-2011, 05:28 AM

If it's got bacon, eggs, and cheese, it has to be good.

**dogoagogo** · 12-19-2011, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by borntochill

Maybe because everything tastes better with labia?

AHHH!!!!! LabNEH (my misspelling, sorry!) is strained yogurt/cheese. We use it in everything from Beef Stroganoff to vodka sauce. Creamy and flavorful - thicker than sour cream. Love it with honey in a bowl for breakfast too. It has a wonderful consistency and flavor, much richer than regular yogurt. We get it at Bitar's but I'm sure better groceries have it too.

**raider.adam** · 12-19-2011, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by dogoagogo

AHHH!!!!! LabNEH (my misspelling, sorry!) is strained yogurt/cheese. We use it in everything from Beef Stroganoff to vodka sauce. Creamy and flavorful - thicker than sour cream. Love it with honey in a bowl for breakfast too. It has a wonderful consistency and flavor, much richer than regular yogurt. We get it at Bitar's but I'm sure better groceries have it too.

It's the yogurt Keanu Reeves would eat.

No whey.

**Beutelratte** · 12-19-2011, 11:11 AM

Labneh sounds good! I've never had it, but I love Fage Greek Yogurt - is it similar to that?

**RittenhouseGirl** · 12-20-2011, 05:00 PM

Thank you for all of your responses. Glad a few of you are familiar with the pea salad. I guess it can't be all that bad since, as one poster said, it has bacon!

My fiance is from Iowa. Chances are there are other regional dishes out there too.

I know Ohioans eat chile over spaghetti noodles. Also, seafood counters in the midwest tend to have pickled, creamed fish at the ready. Apparently it is because of all the people of Nordic heritage in the region. My fiance is going to have me taste the pickled fish for Christmas. He has Swedish ancestry, so I guess I will have to grin and bear this one for a bit. I never had it and hope it isn't too bad. I love seafood anyway.

**raider.adam** · 12-20-2011, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by RittenhouseGirl

Thank you for all of your responses. Glad a few of you are familiar with the pea salad. I guess it can't be all that bad since, as one poster said, it has bacon!

My fiance is from Iowa. Chances are there are other regional dishes out there too.

I know Ohioans eat chile over spaghetti noodles. Also, seafood counters in the midwest tend to have pickled, creamed fish at the ready. Apparently it is because of all the people of Nordic heritage in the region. My fiance is going to have me taste the pickled fish for Christmas. He has Swedish ancestry, so I guess I will have to grin and bear this one for a bit. I never had it and hope it isn't too bad. I love seafood anyway.

I'm Norwegian ancestry too.

Herring in cream sauce on ritz crackers is awesome.

into this