Tarbais Beans, Borlotti Beans and Bean Beetles

Living frugally means growing things to eat later in the year as well as to eat right now.  Obviously.  While nothing beats a tiny, fresh Cose Violetta bean plucked straight from the plant, deep purple on the outside and crispy green and juicy inside, this year's dried Borlotti beans have come a pretty close second.  We had the first tasting last night, boiled then fried and crushed a bit with onion, garlic, ground cumin, salt and pepper, and probably too much olive oil.  But to be honest, the flavour of the just boiled bean was pretty fine unadorned: earthy, nutty and dense.  Perfect autumnal food; so it's a pity that the temperatures are still up in the mid twenties and there is not even a sprinkle of snow to be seen.  All change on Tuesday, when we should wake up to a more wintry scene!

2013 Borlotti Beans