In Praise of the Sugar Snap

Consider the sugar snap...nay, consider a handful. It's a sexy little pea pod, plumped full of water; when you bite into it there is a satisfying SNAP as the skin bursts and the juices pour forth. I can think of no other vegetable that is so satisfying to chomp, so refreshing and summery. I've haven't had them any other way than right out of the clear plastic bag, fresh from the farmer's market. They never last long enough, except maybe to be tossed on a salad--if they make it through the pre-dinner Ingredient Graze that often fills me up before meals.

Eat them quickly--after about 5 or 6 days the skin starts to toughen and the SNAP is no longer very snappy. Keep them in the fridge for extra cool refreshment. They're sweet like candy and crisp like chips, except juicier and guilt-free, since they're nothing more than a little green pocket for water and peas.

Act now, for this seasonal delight will only be with us for a few more weeks. Ah, the rewards of summer...