Peas are divided into two major catagories: those with edible pods and those with inedible pods.
The pea we are most familiar with, also known as the English pea, green pea, and garden pea, has an inedible pod. Most commercial peas are English peas or garden peas.
Snap Peas or Sugarsnap Peas and Snow Peas are both edible-podded peas.
Dried peas have been used as a food since ancient times. Archeologists found dried peas in Egyptian tombs, but not until the sixteenth century were tender varieties developed to be eaten fresh!
