The dried are better than the canned. They are not hard to cook either. Soak a cupful in water a few hours and boil about an hour. Drain off and season in the same way as peas, that is, sometimes with cream sauce, sometimes with butter only or, with small pieces of bacon or salt pork stewed in them. Should they prove to be of a sample difficult to boil soft add a small piece of baking soda to the water they are boiled in.