BOILED PEANUTS

I first learned about boiled peanuts when Matt and Ted "The Lee Brothers" came to WUSA to promote their cook book and catalogue http://www.boiledpeanuts.com/index.html that features unique southern cooking delicacies. I didn't get to sample any, but kind of became intrigued.

Growing up in New Jersey, I wasn't hip to grits nor "country ham". But dating a southerner has opened my mind to some fantastic food. This past weekend I spent some time with Ben and his family in Asheville. Part of our trip took us to South Carolina. When Ben spotted a road side stand that sold "green peanuts" he had to pull over and buy some.

Boiled peanuts are difficult to make up this way because in order to do so, you need "green peanuts". That doesn't necessarily (from what I have found out) mean that the color of them is green, rather, it means they are fresh -- not altered or roasted. (I am more familiar with roasted peanuts and just always assumed that that is how they are naturally -- WRONG.)

So, Ben got his multi pound bag of green peanuts. He also purchased some freshly boiled peanuts; I would finally have my chance to sample them. I will give you the outcome now because what I am about to describe is kind of negative, but know that I LOVE THEM and wish I had some more to snack on in the studio even as I type.

Now back to the not so pleasant thought that sprung into my head when my hand ventured into the boiled peanut bag: "Gosh these things look like chopped up lumpy earth worms -- I don't want to eat that!" Granted, they totally looked disgusting to me. But once I easily took the boiled peanut from the shell (the trick is to squeeze the peanut so that it splits along the seam in a straight line), it kind of looked like a purple chick pea. I popped them in my mouth and it WAS ALL ABOUT YUM. Seriously. I became addicted. I can see why the tradition down south is to eat them on the porch where the shells can easily be thrown away.

Here is a neat website that goes into the boiled peanut history http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/BoiledPeanutsHistory.htm -- including how much salt to add if you are going to boil your own and other tricks. It also explains how these things were important for the Confederate Soldiers during the Civil War. Neat stuff.

Ben plans on making his own as I mentioned. But do you know of any local boiled peanut locations around the District, VA or MD? I'd love to hear from you.