Beans of the Summer

Scarlet runner beans are a peak summer vegetable with flashy red flowers and large, prolific pods. Immature pods are like a meaty green bean and the mature seeds can be used as a dry bean.

 

When immature, the beans are hot pink. Later on they develop dark speckles...

As they mature the pink darkens to purple, and even continues to deepen as the seeds age off the plant.

Last summer a trellis full of runner beans -- including scarlet and less colorful types -- fell over in my garden. I'd meant to save them for seed, but they weren't very dry when they fell. I shelled them and put them on a dehydrator.

 The treatment was too harsh, judging by the cracked seed coats.

Figuring the beans wouldn't store well and might not sprout at all, I rehydrated them in preparation for cooking.

But lots of them did sprout - go beans!

 Then I cooked and ate them.