Dixie Lee pea explained

Dixie Lee pea
Species:Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.
Group:'Unguiculata'
Cultivar:Crowder type
Marketing Names:Dixielee Pea and Dixie-lee pea[1]
Origin:North Carolina

The Dixie Lee Pea is an heirloom variety of cowpea popular in the Carolinas, although prevalent throughout most of the American south.[2]

History

Prelude

The centre of diversity of the cultivated cowpea is West Africa, leading an early consensus that this is the likely centre of origin and place of early domestication.[3] Charred remains of cowpeas have been found in rock shelters located in Central Ghana dating to the 2nd millennium BCE.[4] By the 17th century cowpeas began to be cultivated in the New World via the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, being used as slave food and provisions.[5]

Origin

The origin of the word Dixie is unknown but since its first use in 1859; it has referred to someone from the South, akin to the use of Yankee in the North.[6] Like the name implies and similar to that of the history of the Iron and Clay pea it was a popular variety in the Confederate states of America.[7] After the Civil War Dixie Lee peas kept many southerners from starving to death, prior to which cowpeas were solely reserved as livestock feed and slave food.[8] [9]

Cultivation

They prefer to grow in light sandy soils.[10] They are harvested from June in North Carolina.[11]

Culinary use

They are mainly grown for their medium-sized, edible bean.[12] The pod is green in colour,[12] slender and can be up to 7 inches long.[13] When cooked the peas turn brown,[14] and are very sweet to the taste. They can be used in various recipes including with ham hock and onions,[10] [15] or on the barbeque.[13]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A pea is a pea, or IS IT?.
  2. Web site: Yu. Kaila. The Ultimate Guide to Dixie Lee Peas NomList. 6 August 2019 . 2021-08-08. en-US.
  3. Ogunkanmi. L. A.. Taiwo. A.. Mogaji. O. L.. Awobodede. A.. Eziashi. E. E.. Ogundipe. O. T.. 2005–2006. Assessment of genetic diversity among cultivated cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) cultivars from a range of localities across West Africa using agronomic traits. Journal Sci. Res. Dev.. 10. 111–118.
  4. D'Andrea. Early domesticated cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) from Central Ghana. Antiquity. 2007. 81. 313. 686–698. 10.1017/S0003598X00095661. 161301311 . etal.
  5. Perrino. P.. Laghetti. G.. Spagnoletti Zeuli. P. L.. Monti. L. M.. 1993. Diversification of cowpea in the Mediterranean and other centres of cultivation.. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 40. 3. 121–132. 10.1007/bf00051116. 41138930.
  6. Web site: dixie Origin and meaning of the name dixie by Online Etymology Dictionary. 2021-08-08. www.etymonline.com. en.
  7. Web site: Cowpeas please! The History and Importance of the Cowpea Plant - Dave's Garden. 2021-08-08. www.davesgarden.com.
  8. Web site: Yu. Kaila. The Ultimate Guide to Dixie Lee Peas NomList. 6 August 2019 . 2021-08-08. en-US.
  9. Web site: Beans and Field Peas University of North Carolina Press ~ Sandra A. Gutierrez Preview. 2021-08-08. flexpub.com. en.
  10. Nancy Jackson Pleitt Fenner
  11. News: Paul . Stephen . A field guide to field peas . 8 July 2013 . starnewsonline.com . 2 February 2017.
  12. Web site: Southern Peas . Douglas C. Sanders . North Carolina State University . 1997-09-01 . 2011-06-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120126140306/http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-20.html . 2012-01-26 . dead .
  13. Sandra A. Gutierrez
  14. Web site: Farmer's Market Report: Dixie Lee Peas . Susan Slack . 2009-09-28 . 2011-06-26.
  15. Fred Thompson

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