"Pea Soupers"

When I think of Quebec, I think cold. Long, long winter months of not much else but snow, ice and cold. How did our ancestors survive? Not only survive, but had families with 15 to 20, even 25 children? This might explain how they kept warm during those long winter nights! But no one starved-- how? Soupe aux Pois!! Apparently Habitant Pea Soup was so associated with the original settlers that even now the French speaking Canadians are referred to as "Pea Soupers".

I ran across an agricultural census for the D'Amours de Louvieres brothers who settled on Riviere St. Jean. In this census it listed their livestock and all the crops they had produced over the last season. Peas were one of their larger crops. When I can find it again, I will post it here!
Here it is: http://www.acadian-home.org/census1695.html

With the surprise snowfall, and thinking of our ancestors in Quebec, I decided to post this recipe for Quebec "Habitant Pea Soup". In Nouvelle France, the people were classified by French terms like voyageur (explorer or traveler), coureurs de bois ("runners of the woods", the fur trappers and traders who often took up residence with Indian tribes, were considered out of control by the priests and government because they often had Indian women and babies in more than one camp, did not worry about French laws and proprieties because they knew the fur  trade was so lucrative that they wouldn't be held accountable), and the habitants, permanent settlers in towns, villages and farms. I think habitant became more common for farmer than villager because later it seemed to be a synonym for "country".

This soup has to be made with yellow split peas or it's just pea soup. When it's snowing and I want to connect with the ancestors I make a pot of this and leave it simmering on the back of the stove so the house smells good. I like it with some kind of brown rolls or bread and lots of butter. Yellow peas are hard to find around St. Louis, I have found them in Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck as my sister calls it!) but they are not as outrageous as some of their other foods.

I should note that all these photos were shamelessly stolen! Also, for anyone who happens to get to Prairie du Rocher, the little grocery store has the absolute best smoked meats ever-- hocks, pork chops, ham, etc.!

Ingredients

2 c. Yellow split peas
1 cup carrots, chopped

8 c. Water

2 lb. Smoked ham hocks

1 lg. Onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 c. Celery leaves, chopped

1/2 Tsp. Summer savory

1/4 Tsp. Thyme

3 Tbs. Fresh parsley, chopped

bay leaf

Black pepper

Salt 

Directions

Soak peas overnight. Drain the peas and place them in a large soup kettle with the water, ham hocks, onion, celery, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for three hours, stirring frequently. The peas are done when soft and creamy. Add black pepper and salt to taste.  Traditional Quebec dish.