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Dixie Lee pea
Subspecies of cowpea plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Dixie Lee pea is an heirloom variety of cowpea popular in the Carolinas, although prevalent throughout most of the American south.[3]
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.[4] Charred remains of cowpeas have been found in rock shelters located in Central Ghana dating to the 2nd millennium BCE.[5] 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.[6][4]
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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9][10]
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Cultivation
They prefer to grow in light sandy soils.[1] 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 color,[12] slender and can be up to 7 inches long.[13] When cooked the peas turn brown,[14] and are very sweet. They can be used in various recipes including with ham hock and onions,[1][15] or accompanying barbeque.[13]
See also
References
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