ANST --..Historical references to beans...

[peerage1]

More windy talk *grin*


> Phaseolus vulgaris, the New World string bean.

Yes and no, that particular name that covers a very broad
category...please go and read this site:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/rhodcv/hort410/peas/pe00003.htm
and
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Indices/index_ab.html
 
> To my knowledge, there is no record of these having been consumed in >Europe within the SCA period.

In answer to that from that site:

The four major cultivated species of Phaseolus bean all originated in
central and S. America. Ancient seeds of cultivated forms
have been found in Peru (dated to 6000 BC) and Mexico (dated to 4000
BC). Bean cultivation spread into N. America; finds
in New Mexico have been dated to around 300 BC. French beans were
brought to Europe in the early 16th century. Early varieties were all
climbers, and dwarf French beans were not commonly grown until the 18th
century. 

another similar reference: 

Distribution

Common beans are native to the New World, probably Central Mexico and
Guatemala. They were taken to Europe by the
Spaniards and Portuguese who also took them to Africa and other parts of
the Old World. Now they are widely cultivated in
the tropics, subtropics and temperate regions. 

Herando Cortes is guilty of bringing "green" beans to europe. Date of
Cortes is 1485-1547

Now the beans which immediately were called "fagioli" then a century
later (1653) recieve the name of haricot beans. Pope Clement VII 
Clement VII, Pope c.1475-1534, pope (1523-34), recieves several and 
gives some to Canon Piero Valeriano who culivates them in Italy, as well
as passing on some beans to Catherine de' Merdici in 1533 who brings
them to France.

Main Entry: har·i·cot
Pronunciation: '(h)ar-i-"kO
Function: noun
Etymology: French
Date: 1653
: the ripe seed or the unripe pod of any of several beans (genus
Phaseolus and especially P. vulgaris) 



> The later is the seed pod of Vicia faba, the fava or broad bean.  The edible seed looks a little like a white lima bean.  This is the bean that would be appropriate for a period feast.

Yepper, on the bean, BUT, Now, the ten dollar question: at what stage of
growth was the bean pod also used in medieval cookery preparation and
the color of the pod?    
*grin*....

rayah
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