DEAR SUN SPOTS: Your column is both great education and entertainment, and so thinking about food as I often do, I’m wondering if you or any readers might know where whole yellow peas might be found. My wife and I have hunted and only seem to be able to find split yellow peas. These dissolve quickly and do not make the kind of pea soup we love.
Thanks for your column and we look forward to seeing if any folks can help. — Steve, Windsor
ANSWER: I love talking and writing about food and wish I would get more food questions! It’s fun to read about what everyone is cooking up in their own kitchens these days, whether it be healthy, comforting, or somewhere in between.
For those who don’t know, whole yellow peas are a member of the legume family, and are about one-quarter inch in diameter and pale yellow to beige in color. They have a mildly sweet flavor and soft, granular texture. A rich source of vitamins A, B and C, fiber, protein and potassium, they help thicken soups, stews and curries as they cook.
As far as where to find them, there is a Goya brand of whole yellow peas so I’m hoping if you go to the market and look for that brand specifically, you will see them. If not, you may want to ask the store manager if they can be ordered. A health food store may also be able to order the peas if they don’t already have them to sell in bulk.
You may want to try calling the nearest Indian restaurant and asking them if you could purchase this commodity from them. I have asked for this favor of buying spices and other supplies from ethnic restaurants from time to time and they have accommodated.
Another option is to order them online from Amazon where quite a few different brands of the product you’re looking for are available.
Readers, if you have any ideas, please chime in.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: Since I’ve been spending so much time at home these days, I’ve been reading a lot of books and have finally run out of ideas for what to read next even though I like just about any genre as well as fiction and nonfiction.
I’m wondering what other Sun Spotters are reading these days or what you all have read in the past that you just thoroughly enjoyed or that impacted your life in a positive way. The books don’t need to be current. I know I could just look up some books online but I really am curious to know what people in Western Maine are reading. Thank you for sharing! — Colleen, no town
ANSWER: This sounds like a fun discussion! I’ll start with telling you that I just finished “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. I’m also reading “The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative” by Florence Williams. I hope other readers will write in with their ideas for Colleen or any other readers who are interested.
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