Summer is bean season around here. And although it’s hard to tell until we’re on the downslope, this week might be peak, judging by the abundance of beans filling the fridge right now.

What does one do with so many beans? Well, I’ve been making dilly beans and freezing market leftovers. There’s something incredibly satisfying about popping open a jar of dilly beans or pulling beans out of the freezer in the middle of winter.

And freezing beans is super easy! It takes just three steps:

  1. Wash and snap beans.
  2. Blanch for three minutes.
  3. Freeze!

Make sure to dump the beans into ice water immediately after blanching to stop the cooking process. I like to then spread them out on a cookie sheet to freeze for about an hour before putting them in containers. This means that when I pull a container (or bag) out of the freezer, I can pour out however much I want instead of using a whole frozen block.

Oh, and the dilly beans? They take a couple weeks to reach full flavor, so I plan to have them at the market next week. They’re crispy, juicy, and deliciously dilly, with a bit of tang to keep things interesting. I’m not a huge fan of pickles, but I love dilly beans!

At the market this week:

  • beans
  • okra
  • yellow squash
  • zucchini
  • garlic salt
  • crocheted/knit items

Tomorrow looks like another hot, sunny day, so come out to the Broadway Community Market early and beat the heat! The tall brick wall at our backs keeps us nicely shaded, and Naty’s Mexican Cuisine always has some fun iced drinks to try (not to mention delicious tacos).

See you at the market!