Bean There

Yesterday while examining the new squash plants pushing up through their hills I noticed a couple other plant babies -- dark green, folded like praying hands -- emerging from the base of the squash hills: "Dwarf Bees" scarlet runner bush beans.

No; not an oxymoron; there are such things as bush-type runner beans. "Dwarf Bees" is often sold as an ornamental -- perhaps why my seed packet was so paltry in comparison to my other bean seeds -- but like other scarlet runners it does produce edible beans, both snap and dry.

Runner beans do well in cooler, wetter weather, which may be why they were the first of my bean varieties to emerge. Elsewhere in the garden I have "Dragon's Tongue," also known as "Dragon Langerie," a flat chartreuse wax bean with purple stripes; "Masai," a newer variety of French filet bean; and "Roma II," a flat Italian bean.

I know I'm tempting the Fates by counting my beans before they're picked, or even sprouted -- but I can't wait until I get a good mess of them to eat fresh and to freeze.

One of my favorite recipes comes from my mom's family, classic "po' food" from the Depression: Stewed tomatoes, cooked snap beans, cooked, diced potatoes, onion and, if there's any around, a chunk of smoked meat -- bacon, sausage, pork hock, etc. Simmered together, it's awfully good.

I've also come to appreciate green beans either roasted at high heat until browned, or stir-fried whole (the latter a likely fate of some of those filet beans).

For the moment, though, I'm simply cheering on my runner beans as they gradually make an appearance in the squash patch...and cheering on Partner in Food, who today is working on the wiring of our new electric fence. Which may help ensure that we actually get to enjoy all those great beans this year.