§ XX.
French Beans.
(Haricots verts et blancs.)
The bean known by the name of bayolet, which resembles the Swiss bean, is the kind fittest to be preserved green, with the pod. It combines uniformity with the best taste. I cause the beans to be gathered as for ordinary use. I string them, and put them in bottles, taking care to shake them on the stool, to fill the vacancies in the bottles. I then cork the bottles and put them in the water-bath, which is to boil an hour and half. When the beans are rather large, I cut them lengthways into two or three pieces: and then they do not require being in the water bath longer than one hour.
Of the kinds of haricot, of which the seeds or beans themselves are to be preserved, the Soissons haricot is justly entitled to the preference. For want of that, I take the best of any other species of the haricot blanc that I can meet with. I gather it when the shell begins to turn yellow. I then shell it immediately, and bottle it, &c. I put it in the water-bath, to give it a two hours’ boiling.