I’ve tried bush beans. I’ve tried pole beans. This year, I decided to mix things up and plant dry beans, Tiger’s Eye dry beans to be exact.

Green, leafy and about a foot tall, the plant looked like any other green bean variety. As the pods swelled and lengthened, amber-colored jewels formed inside. I planted only three short rows, and to my surprise, I actually harvested enough beans to chef up a decent burrito (about 1 cup).

I haven’t had time to cook them yet, but according to Seed Savers, Tiger’s Eye beans have a “wonderfully rich flavor and smooth texture, great for chili or refried beans.”

For those curious gardeners who want to try their hand at dried beans next year, check out Seed Savers Eating Bean Sampler. I got mine last week, and the beans inside sure are pretty. I hope they taste as good as they look.

What are your favorite heirloom beans? How do you like them prepared? Have you found a local source you could recommend?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 at 8:16 am and is filed under Beans + Peas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.