Q: What is the difference between a pea and a bean?

A: I posed your question to Dr. Wayne McLaurin, my Extension service vegetable guru. After a few seconds of thought, he replied, “There IS no difference – they both go well with cornbread!”

Proud of himself for this quick witticism, he went on to explain that the only true pea with which you’re likely to be familiar is the sweet pea or English pea. The Southern pea, which some call a cowpea or blackeyed pea, is really classed as a bean, along with the snap bean and lima bean.