•   Though we have amount to pronounce them differently , Lima beans were indeed named for the capital of Peru where they have been growing forover 7,500 years . Through trading and finish , limas became popular throughout the human race , spreading across cardinal America and the United States to Europe and Africa via Spanish and Lusitanian ships!•   Lima beans also have a dark secret : raw limas should never be consumed because they comprise a cyanide compound that is part of the plant ’s defense chemical mechanism . cook the beans uncovered and draining the cooking water lessens the risks.•   What are Lima beans so defensive about , anyway ? When the beans are under flack from spider mites , they eject chemical substance to pull in instinctive marauder of the mites as well as monish nearby plants . Amazingly , if the industrial plant are damage by an agricultural tool or , say , a perverse cow , they emit different strain sign that are ignored by their neighbors .

•   You may be surprised to learn that one of the large centers of Lima bean cultivation was Beverly Hills , California . Before it became a renowned moneyed locality , Beverly Hills was better bed for its capital of Peru . The same is true , incidentally , for LAX.•   Limas also happen to make beautiful art , from awreathto the intake forindustrial artistic creation .

•   Limas are full for science projects : just ask 18 yr old Lise Desquenne of Rhode Island , who was capable todetermine blood typeusing an infusion of lima edible bean . Her mental process is also more economical than the blood serum proficiency discovered in 1900 by Nobel Prize winner Karl Landsteiner !

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•   The Lima bonce has also find its way intopop culturemerchandise , as well as local food for thought fare merchandise like baseball game chapeau , shuttle house and even clayware in Cape May , New Jersey during their annualfestival .

•   If you ab initio plow your noses up at the idea of limas , it ’s probably because of the revulsion of recipe like this 1974Molded Vegetable Saladwith Lima Beans . But like Brussels sprouts , there are right and wrong way to treat this food ! ( And when it goes right it plump oh - so - right!)•   Personally , I have always been a immense devotee of what we in the South call a butter bean ( and that my local Publix refers to as a " baby capital of Peru " ) . enceinte limas are known to have a creamy texture and earthy flavor ( like chick peas ) , but butter beans ( or babe capital of Peru ) are low with a creamier and more delicate taste . Buttery , in fact ! And delicious.•   How do you Flossers take your Limas ? ( or Butter beans ? ) Did you have an aversion to them in your juvenility but have come up around ? For me the butter bean is an substantive part of a comfort meal . And adding extra butter certainly never hurt …

‘ Dietribes ’ appears every other Wednesday . solid food photos get hold of byJohanna Beyenbach . You might call back that name from our post about hercolorful dieting .