Alaric Cassoulet Pole Bean

When grown in the village of Tarbais at the base of the Pyrenees in France this pole bean is called Tarbais and the name is protected by the French government’s  Label Rouge. We have been growing it here in Ontario for several years and are ready to offer it to you under its variety name Alaric. This is a remarkably tender bean with a thin skin and lower starch content than many dry beans. It is traditionally used to make Cassoulet, a hearty winter stew of beans and meat cooked long and slow. Our friend Frances Thorn cooks them up in chicken stock with a little salt, garlic and lemon and the resulting soup is simply delicious. Vines are vigorous, often topping out just over 2m and flat pods hold plump, white beans that hold up well even when the fall weather is wet. Rare.

Phaseolus vulgaris

Days to Maturity: 90 days