How do peas know? We installed the chicken wire along the row of green peas and less than two hours later, the pea tendrils had reached out and touched the wire! Peas like to climb up things, rather than flop on the ground, so their tendrils curl around any support they can find.

Peas are rarely the star of the meal, but scattered about so many dishes: pasta, rice, carrots, and stews to give a bright green taste and sweetness. Fresh peas, though, deserve to be the star of dinner.

When we harvest these peas, I will surely make one of my favorite salads:

Warm Pea Salad in Lettuce Cups

• 2 strips of bacon, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 cup fresh peas, shelled
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• salt and pepper and sugar to taste
• 4 large leaves of Boston lettuce

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain off some of the excess fat, then saute the shallot until tender. In a pot of salted water, boil the peas until tender, about a minute. Drain. Toss with the bacon-shallot mixture and season with mint, salt, pepper, and a little sugar if necessary. Spoon into the lettuce cups and serve warm.