A Hill Of Beans II

It’s been about five years since I last had Zolfino beans from Tuscany, and when I made my purchase from Ayers Creek Farm, thoughts of Terroir and climate did cross my mind - "would these Oregon-grown Zolfino beans be as good!" I got my answers last evening. After soaking the dried beans in water for about six hours, I gently simmered them with a few cloves of garlic for about an hour, adding some sea salt during the last 10 minutes of cooking - given the ‘thin’ skin of the Zolfino, gentle simmering is required. The cooked beans looked slightly larger than I remember the Tuscan Zolfinos, but that may be due to either the soil or the climate or both. I dressed them with the last of my Katz Chef’s Pick organic extra virgin olive oil and some cracked black pepper. My first bite of the warm beans delivered on all of my expectations, including the creamy texture and the taste of ‘butter,’ which resulted in their Tuscan nickname, Burrino. These beans are worth every penny, especially since they are grown right down the road, not in…Tuscany.

Comments

[John DePaula]

I came upon your site while looking for a recipe for Zolfino beans; I am very excited about trying this variety! I bought some this weekend from Ayers Creek, along with some Tarbais, Bianchetto and Barlotto Lamon. (Yes, I love a good pot of beans!)

I feel very fortunate that Ayers Creek is doing what they're doing (growing so many heirloom and unfamiliar varieties) and that they come to my local farmers' market!

Looking forward to exploring your site.