Launched by award-winning Harbour Lights Restaurant in Falmouth, Cornwall, International Mushy Pea Day is back for a second year running
After the brilliant fun had during International Mushy Pea Day in 2017, Harbour Lights’ plans for 2018 are set to be bolder, brighter and probably more bonkers too.
The arrival of International Mushy Pea Day coincides with the Food Foundation initiative ‘Peas Please’, making a pledge for more veg due to declining consumption levels. Harbour Lights is therefore encouraging people to go green and get involved with International Mushy Pea Day across the world. Mushy peas are packed full of protein with essential nutrients including iron, zinc, potassium and fibre and rich in vitamins.
Fish and chips are so fondly thought of by the British population that Pete Fraser, Founder of Harbour Lights Restaurant, felt that it was about time the humble, yet mushy pea got some limelight of its own.
Pete said, “The quest is to bring the mushy pea to the forefront of people’s consciousness; to praise our peas for all their history, taste, versatility and nutritional values. Fun is ultimately the name of the game but the fact that, according to the Food Foundation and the ‘Peas Please’ Campaign, people in the UK aren’t getting enough vegetables in their diets actually makes it quite a serious and current topic. In light of this, we’re actually really pleased to be promoting these little green superheroes.”
Last year, the idea was picked up quickly by the trade and by fish and chip shops and restaurants throughout the UK with eight countries internationally, from Hong Kong, New Zealand and Canada showing their pea-sure in getting involved. The concept was to celebrate the best side dish in history and treat mushy pea fans with pea promos, new menu ideas and to try and convert the ‘not so sure.’
This year, the celebration will be taken to a whole new level with Harbour Lights Restaurant committing to the following:
• As part of International Mushy Pea Day 2018, 20,000 portions of delicious mushy peas will be given for free to schools across the UK and Cornwall
• Forget Popeye and his spinach, our forces are eating peas: Mushy peas will also be given complimentary to UK forces in time for International Mushy Pea Day
• Promote those peas: Asking participating shops and restaurants internationally to run pea promos, create a pea special, or give a donation to local or national charities
• Competition time: Harbour Lights will be running a mushy competition across its social media channels giving pea-fanatics the opportunity to win free fish and chips for a year
• A mushy pea donation to a Cornwall-based food bank with shops across the UK being invited to do similar
The website www.mushypeaday.com will act as a portal for ideas and activities for International Mushy Pea Day being populated with great ideas, photographic evidence, an original mushy pea song and recipes.
Random mushy pea facts:
• Unbeknown to most, mushy peas, also known as ‘Yorkshire caviar’, are normal peas just grown for two weeks longer.
• The ‘proper’ etiquette for eating peas is to squish them on the back of your fork and chomp away.
• Peas boiled with onion and spiced with cinnamon is a strong aphrodisiac!
Love fish and chips? Check out the best places for fish and chips in Cornwall!
