Published Thursday, July 30, 2009, OK personal/derivative use; link lovethatimage.artsquadgraphics.com.
String beans and storage tip
You can’t really call them green beans when they look like this. The yellow ones are called wax beans and the package on the purple ones says they will be green when cooked. We’ll see. They sure taste great just like this.
Here’s a tip: When storing, make sure they are in a plastic bag but DRY (wash just before eating or cooking). Peas like it moist in storage but beans, surprisingly, do not. That avoids the disappointing rust yuckiness. Also, you think you will remember which you picked when, but you won’t. Mark the bag with the date!
Home gardens are the ultimate in local, fresh, and hopefully organic food. And a package of seeds is so cheap, plus the seeds last many years if stored in a dry place. So grow your own! And for more GREEN ideas, visit Think Green Thursday.
UPDATE: I cooked them tonight, steamed the way I always do, and sure enough, the purple ones became green. Check it out! Top one is after cooking a bit and stirring, bottom one a bit firm but tender. No purple! They were yummy.
I was checking on WW and find out more and chance upon your site. I grow green beans only this year, but nothing like yours! I love your purple beans, and they are too beautiful to be eaten!
Hi Sara
I love all your pictures you took, and they are so beautiful! Do u mind if I add your blog into mine?
I’ve not seen these beans(the purple ones) nor tasted them before.
Do they taste the same?
I wonder if it could be due to PH levels in the soil that turned them purple…just wondering 😛
Cherish, of course you may feature my blog on yours. I am so flattered! And Elaine, these are special purple beans, I have to find the seed packet for the name. They taste exactly like the regular ones. The packet says that when cooked, they will be green! but I haven’t tried it yet as these are my first ones I picked, today in the hot weather we are having here in Seattle. Beans love hot weather, not like peas, which like it cool.
Wonderful! Yum….
Hi Sara,
Those beans are artfully arranged. They almost look as if they’re in motion, entwining themselves around each other.
I’ve used my new camera for this week’s flower photos. Hope you can stop by for a visit.
Sarah
Hi Sara
Where can I get the purple bean seeds? I want to try planting them next year. I love green beans 🙂
Okay everyone, I went and got the seed packet, which I was too lazy to do at first. They are Ed Hume seeds, widely available in the Pacific Northwest, and they are Garden Beans, Royal Burgundy. These are Early Bush Beans, but I am pretty sure they are available as pole beans. The plants are not quite as vigorous as the wax beans, but hey, they are DARK PURPLE and taste great!
By the way, the reason I like colored veggies for beans and even yellow zucchini is that they are so much easier to pick, and you miss far fewer that are ready. It really saps the plant’s energy if beans or whatever are allowed to go into seed production mode. It feels its job is done and stops producing more beans, reasonably enough.
Thanks for all the great comments. Sensuous beans, indeed!
Thanks for sharing, I will look out for these beans for sure, and would love to taste them too ….I have seen purple and orange califlowers in Korean Asian market, but never see such beautiful purple beans before. I am sure to hunt them down ….haaa…