A beloved Southern field pea with a delicate flavor and wonderfully creamy texture. The name comes from its pod, which has a fibrous seam that makes shelling the fresh peas unusually easy, almost like opening a zipper. Zipper Creams belong to the cowpea family, not the garden pea family, and have long been part of Southern foodways. Their tender skins and mild, sweet-earthy flavor make them particularly good simmered simply, with plenty of their flavorful cooking broth, or served alongside rice and greens.