For the Sake of Convenience

• When processing peas, it's best to blanch them after you shell them. The shells are crisp and slightly firm before blanching, so they pop open easily when you slide your finger along the seam. Blanching softens them, which would make it harder to open them. You don't even need to wash the pods first. Simply pry them open with your thumb and slide the peas into a colander. Rinse the shelled peas. Discard the shells in another bowl and you're done.

Double Duty

• Another reason to wait is that you'll probably have to blanch the peas again once you've shelled them. Unless you blanch them for several minutes, blanching peas in the shell may not cook the peas long enough to achieve what the process is meant to accomplish.

In Hot Water

• Once the peas are shelled, toss them in a pot of boiling salted water for one or two minutes. Drain them and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. This quick blanching accomplishes two things: First, it cooks the peas just enough so that they're crisp-tender and bright green in color. It also halts the enzyme action that causes decay, so if you freeze them, they'll retain their quality longer. Use the peas immediately, store them in the refrigerator for a day or two or pack them in plastic freezer boxes or bags and freeze them for up to six months.

A Pea in a Pod

• Whether you grow peas in the garden or buy them at the market, choose peas that are small and firm. The peas within the pod should be barely visible. These young, immature peas will be sweet and crisp. If the peas are clearly defined within the pod, the peas are probably old and will taste starchy and tough. One pound of pea pods yields only about 1 cup of peas, so buy or grow extra. Although you should shell English peas before blanching them, snow peas and snap peas are blanched and eaten shell and all. Don't shell them before freezing either.