Wednesday 11/9/2011

by David Cecelski
A rather grizzled old
gentleman at my local farmers market had the loveliest October beans this
morning. October beans, which are also called “fall beans” or “speckled beans,”
are an assortment of old heirloom shell beans that usually ripen between the
end of summer and the first frost.
I still can’t get used to how beautiful these are.
The shells have long speckled strands of brilliant pink, and a few are colored
a solid dark pink. The shelled beans are lovely, too. They’re a lustrous pearl
white and speckled with pink.
My favorite way to cook them is the most traditional
way, the way I've had them in the Appalachian foothills, where I've seen
October beans most often: I shell the beans when they’re fresh and tender, not dried.
I season them with a slice of fatback or ham hock, slow-cook them with chopped
onion, and add salt and pepper to taste. I often add a sprig of fresh sage,
too.
I cook them on a low boil, until they’re creamy and
beginning to fall apart. Served in their broth and with a side of cornbread for
dipping, they’re just exquisite. They have an earthy, almost chestnut-like
flavor, as complex, deep, and particular to where they’re grown as vintage
wines, really the stuff of dreams
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The North Carolina Folklife Institute is pleased to present this blog, an exploration of the state's traditional cooking and foodways by David Cecelski, one of the state's most accomplished historians.
David's passion for the state's history takes him all over North Carolina. But David is also a closet chowhound--a connoisseur of little country cafes, old recipes, and backyard barbecues. His every trip is a chance to learn more history, and also a chance to find a new local delicacy or a great new restaurant.
Photo of David Cecelski by Stephen Jesse Taylor. Title photo of Altapass Orchard by Cedric N. Chatterley
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