TRUE southern butter beans

mensplace · March 20, 2010

I'm trying to find a name for the best variety of very small, not too thck, super sweet, creamy, light colered, soft, butter beans.. the kind that are no more than1/2 inch long. Here, that does not mean mealy, flavorless, light or dark Lima beans, but something obviously in the Lima family. It's NOT Fordhooks, speckled, or even the solid dark colored beans. These are rather a southern delicasy with a mild sweet flavor and creamy texture that is smoth and delicious. NOT meaning to start a debate, but, rather, simply looking for a name for you folks who had your grandmother's butterbeans of the type described.

The same could apply to zipper cream peas, but will leave that for another day. Again, not merely a zipper, crowder, or field pea, but something delicious, tender, sweet, and NOT mealy..more oblong than round, not large, and not shelly beans as these cream peas are a zipper style pea/bean/legume.

Earl · March 20, 2010

Are you talking about the Dixie butter pea [butterpea]? It comes white [or brown] if I remember right. Creamy, smooth, buttery. I've grown white butterpeas here in Ohio. I think it's a cross between a lima bean and field pea. Some years ago I ordered the seeds from a place in Alabama.

mensplace · March 20, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl

Are you talking about the Dixie butter pea [butterpea]? It comes white [or brown] if I remember right. Creamy, smooth, buttery. I've grown white butterpeas here in Ohio. I think it's a cross between a lima bean and field pea. Some years ago I ordered the seeds from a place in Alabama.

Thanks Earl. I should probably have separated the post into two parts, as I'm searching both for the very small limas that I have always seen and enjoyed as butterbeans.

But, am also searching for that which does seem to be a cross in that it is not round like a crowder pea, but a cream color and somewhat oblong, but grows in a husk rather like crowder peas. It may well be the butterpea you referenced. The whole pea husk was about six to nine inches long and unzipped like a true zipper pea. Unlike a climbing or pole lima, it grew as a bush bean. Will research by the name you kindly provided.

dustdevil · March 20, 2010

WHITE DIXIE BABY BUTTERBEANS

http://www.heirloomseeds.com/beans.htm

March 20, 2010	#1
mensplace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,013	TRUE southern butter beans I'm trying to find a name for the best variety of very small, not too thck, super sweet, creamy, light colered, soft, butter beans.. the kind that are no more than1/2 inch long. Here, that does not mean mealy, flavorless, light or dark Lima beans, but something obviously in the Lima family. It's NOT Fordhooks, speckled, or even the solid dark colored beans. These are rather a southern delicasy with a mild sweet flavor and creamy texture that is smoth and delicious. NOT meaning to start a debate, but, rather, simply looking for a name for you folks who had your grandmother's butterbeans of the type described. The same could apply to zipper cream peas, but will leave that for another day. Again, not merely a zipper, crowder, or field pea, but something delicious, tender, sweet, and NOT mealy..more oblong than round, not large, and not shelly beans as these cream peas are a zipper style pea/bean/legume.

March 20, 2010	#2
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Are you talking about the Dixie butter pea [butterpea]? It comes white [or brown] if I remember right. Creamy, smooth, buttery. I've grown white butterpeas here in Ohio. I think it's a cross between a lima bean and field pea. Some years ago I ordered the seeds from a place in Alabama. __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

March 20, 2010	#4
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	WHITE DIXIE BABY BUTTERBEANS http://www.heirloomseeds.com/beans.htm