Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
been stored, soaking can save as much as an hour of cooking. But soaking also means that
you have to plan dinner the night before. You're really just choosing between inconveni-
ences.
Some beans are harvested at an intermediate stage. Shelly beans, which are between
green and dried, offer some of the most sublime eating you can imagine, but they are diffi-
cult to find except in the South or at farmers' markets. They are the same varieties that are
normally dried but are sold at full moisture. They cook in 20 to 30 minutes without any
special treatment and have a silkiness of texture and a sweetness and delicacy of flavor
that are unmatched. Probably the stellar example of this is the lima bean. Scorned by many
who know it only in its dried, canned or frozen form, the lima at the shelly stage is nothing
short of spectacular, with a complexity of flavor that puts even favas to shame.
WHERE THEY'RE GROWN: Only about a quarter of the green beans grown in
the United States are eaten fresh, and almost half of those come from Florida. Georgia
and California trail far behind. Imports represent about 10 percent of the beans sold, but
that percentage is increasing, particularly during the winter months. Mexico supplies more
than 90 percent of the imported fresh beans.
H O W T O C H 0 O S E: Green beans are surprisingly delicate and begin to lose
moisture as soon as they are picked. The pods should have no sign of wilting or mold. The
name "snap bean" is a great clue: bean pods should be so crisp that they snap when bent.
