Wednesday, July 14, 2010

No Strings Attached

Dear Readers,

Sometimes I feel sorry for you, because wherever you are, I know that despite your glorious mountains and ocean views, lack of chiggers and ticks, and gorgeous, non-humid summertime weather . . . you don't have access to genuine Nannie beans.

Aunt Carole's Nannie beans!

These are heirloom green beans passed down to my Aunt Carole from her mother, who always had an awesome garden. Aunt Carole has an awesome garden, too, and she grows Nannie beans each year. These beautiful bush beans are completely stringless. (I only popped off the tips out of habit.)




Seriously, no strings at all. Tender and perfect.

They're substantial and meaty enough you could cook up a bunch of these, doctored with onions and some ham, with some potatoes, and boom! That's all the dinner you'd need.

It's food fit for a king, and we've gotta eat it.

Carole says she doesn't know where the name came from; her mom told her they were named for some "Aunt Nannie"--but the exact identity of this Aunt Nannie has been lost to time.

. . . You know, recently, someone suggested that I begin listing three things, every night, that I'm grateful for, and that this could be one way to help me to find more joy in life.

Definitely, Nannie beans, and Aunt Carole's willingness to grow them every year, are at the top of tonight's list. Simple stuff, but oh, so important.

3 comments:

MG said...

Hills of beans! They look gorgeous. We're still waiting for the first tendrils on the pea plants.

Shelda said...

Ah, the thrill of beans! I've been craving the Italian green beans I discovered at the Farmer's Market last summer. But I'm going to have to *go* to the market to get some, I guess.

Julianna Schroeder said...

Dunraven, there's a reason why everyone in the world thinks Montanans are a stout, hardy sort. I for one will never forget my first summer there, when it rained EVERY weekend ALL summer long, and nobody got any tomatoes. It was just horrible. But then the Sweet Pea Festival kinda makes up for it!

Shelda! The Farmer's Market is one of the very best things to do in Columbia, in addition to being a "see-and-be-seen" activity. I want to go there soon, too: we've been hankering for some fresh gazpacho! (Maybe I'll see you Saturday!)