We've started cleaning our new bean called Silvia. It's a Flor de Junio bred for drought tolerance and it's "all that" and more!
Flor de
Junio (or June Flower) are one of the most sought after beans
in Michoacan, a state that knows its beans. Both Flor de Mayo (with
its decorative spots) and Flor de Junio (with its decorative pink swirls)
are preferred over pintos and blacks. I think the food in the region
is second to none, especially if you can find some traditional Purepecha
indigenous dishes.
The bean
itself stays whole but you bite into and it seems to melt in your both
with creamy bean goodness. And yet it's as light as the wings of a migrating
Monarch butterfly! (They go down to Michoacan, you know.)
The problem
with these beans is that they don't age well. In fact, they become rather
pedestrian (and dark) after about a year under optimal circumstances
and even less if stored haphazardly. This crop came out of the ground
July 2009 and if you store it in a dark cool pantry will be fine for
awhile but we have a limited amount so we not think of the Flor de Junio
like Nouveau Beaujolais, ramps, figs or some other seasonal treat.
Enjoy them now while you can!
These come
from a farmer in Guanajuato and once they're gone, that's it.
I have to say "shhhh!" because we're way behind on bagging beans thanks to our dramas with the health department. We have them, we're a little behind so I'm announcing them here among dedicated friends before the big push with our email newsletter.
She’s lovely, and it was about time for my annual RG purchase, so I shall be getting a bag. 🙂
Would they have a longer ‘optimal’ life if kept frozen? It’s hard to imagine a bean more wonderful than RG’s pinto! Off to get some now!