Welcome to Stocking Up, a new online column in which we reveal which products you should be looking for at the market right now. From fresh fruits and veggies to olive oils and sodas, we’ll tell you where to get them and how to pick out the best ones – we even suggest ways to add them to your cooking repertoire. “The most ridiculously robust beans of the year,” is how farmer Jeremy Saurage of Deep Mud Farm described Garden of Eden heirloom pole beans, a late-season offering from the certified organic farm. Pole beans are so named because the plants usually climb trellises or other poles as they mature. Eventually, the flat, green pods measure about six inches in length and come, literally, with no strings attached. That means these beauties are ready to eat right from the market.
They do have a bean-like flavor, but that should be considered a plus. The light, sweet and ever-so-slightly vegetal taste is definitely a draw, although the real appeal comes from the oh-so-satisfying crunch. Think jicama or water chestnut. “Just rinse them off and use them as a dipper for hummus,” Saurage suggested. Or include them in a lunch box for a healthy snack. Lightly steamed and tossed with a little butter, these would also make a quick accompaniment for any main dish.
In addition to the ridiculously good taste, these beans also have a long shelf life. Store them loosely wrapped in your refrigerator and you’ll have beans on hand for a good long while. Saurage plans to offer these for the next several weeks at Maplewood Famers’ Market on Wednesdays.
– Shannon Parker
More on which beans to pick out this time of year…
Cool Beans More from Deep Mud Farm…
Summer’s Sweet Unknowns Shake, Radish and Roll Carrots: Taste the Rainbow
This article appears in Sep 1-30, 2010.