Tuesday's Cupful: Half Runner Beans

Gravitate toward this lanky veggie

These beans are cross between bush and pole beans. Generally, half runner beans grow up to 4 inches or longer. The type of common bean originated in Central America. These are a good snap bean and have a habit of growing like bush beans. Look for large red, pink, or white pods. Cooks must tediously snap both ends and remove the side fibrous threads before cooking in any dishes. The half runner beans come in red, pink, and white and all can be used as a dry bean. Three common half runner beans are White, Mountaineer, and Volunteer. We like the nutty and earthy flavors of this vegetable. Don’t be afraid to buy half runner beans wherever you find them for sale.