We’re all about the heirloom beans, and I’d love to grow my own (space is a bit of the issue). In the meantime, I’m going to gaze longingly at all your great recipes!

Benj — In a can? Breadcrumbs? Really???

Marsha — thanks for the lovely image. I just may get to shell the remaining beans while I watch snow fall outside — we’re in line to get dumped on tonight. *Fingers crossed….You know, I thought about dumping them all into a bowl, and there are some varieties that, somehow, I only got a quarter cup of, so those will no doubt end up in a stew.

Amy — well, you and the boys been known to make your own bread too, so if you bought Panko I’d be worried.

and Mmmm, those beans are the Hidatsa shield beans. They look very similar to the beans lisa mentioned above, the snowcaps. So Lisa, I’ve never had the snowcaps but if they’re starchy and a bit crumbly, like the Hidatsas, then you could throw them into any soup or stew, or probably use them like a chickpea in spicy dishes. Of course, just because they look similar doesn’t meant they’ll taste that way. Do let us know what you end up doing with them.

I picked up the book you half-reviewed a few weeks ago, From Farm to Table. There are a bunch of meat recipes in the book and I’m vegetarian, but there are also lots of great ideas and some beautiful non-meat recipes. I made one of the kale recipes the other night and even my kids ate it. Oh, and it is possible to cook with kids, just not as much or as elaborately.

I just picked up some snowcap beans and haven’t decided what to do with them yet. Any suggestions?

On the other hand, they LOVE helping me make dry bread crumbs, so I’ve never bought Panko either!