Blog and You Shall Receive

Why is it that when you learn a new word, you hear it everywhere? Or that you discover a new trend, and then you see it everywhere you go? Or you mention something in passing, and then it pops up all over the place?

This phenomena happened to me this week with fava beans. In Monday’s post I mentioned fava beans – also known as broad beans. Then, for the next three days: fava beans, fava beans, everywhere fava beans.

The first couple of time that I saw them I chucked to myself thinking, “I know what a pain in the neck you are to prepare.*” But after seeing them for sale in half a dozen stores I started thinking about how good fava beans are. Fava beans with pasta and Parmesan, sautéed with onions and mushrooms, puréed and smeared on crusty bead – it all sounded so delicious.

I broke down and bought myself one kilo, which is a little over two pounds. That's the maximum amount I have patients to process. What was the deciding factor? Fava beans are one of the first vegetables to appear on the market to announce spring’s impending arrival. I can’t wait to see what comes next?

* An article about fava beans – complete with a brief description of how to prepare them is available on NPR’s Web site.