Pigeon Peas Festival in Diego MartinCEFR B1
24 Sept 2025
Adapted from Guest Contributor, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Gabre Cameron, Unsplash
The pigeon peas festival began in Diego Martin after Florence Warrick-Joseph took an event management course in 2014. A suggestion from her lecturer and a large crop of peas led her to propose a festival. Neighbours were sceptical at first, but the group organised the event and held the first festival in 2015.
The festival became a community effort. People contributed recipes and cooking skills, and organisers collected enough recipes to produce a commemorative book. Community cooks adapted traditional dishes — pholourie, accra, roti and a version of doubles that uses stewed pigeon peas rather than a curry filling.
Warrick-Joseph also created original recipes: ice cream, a punch, a pigeon-peas wine and a liqueur. She described a method of picking, shelling and stewing fresh peas to make a custard-like base within 24 hours. She now runs a small food business and plans to sell pre-packaged products in supermarkets.
Difficult words
- pea — A small round vegetable used in cooking.peas
- festival — A special event with celebrations and activities.
- dishes — Different types of food prepared in a certain way.
- nutritional — Related to food and healthy eating.
- innovative — New and creative; introducing new ideas.
- combine — To mix or put together different things.combining
- community — A group of people living together or sharing something.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What new dishes can you create using pigeon peas?
- How can festivals improve community bonds?
- What are the benefits of combining traditional and innovative cooking methods?
- Why is it important to have gluten-free options in meals?
- What role do you think food plays in culture?
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