Tongues of Fire!

There was excitement at the Westside Community Market this morning. One of the vendors had dried beans! OK, maybe it was just exciting to me, but the big shiny tubs of pinto, black and Horto or Tongues of Fire beans (pictured below) were a new addition to the fare normally available. I recalled once growing shell beans for myself and the fun I had threshing them in a big paper bag. These had been machine picked and I spent some time cleaning out soft ones, bits of dirt and stick and so on before jarring them up. They get their names from their red-streaked pods, which of course I did not get to see. This winter they're going to be wonderful in soups, salads and baked.