These things are so awesome and tasty, they’re killer.

When the Spanish were first exploring the Americas, they ran into many dangers.  One of the more subtle perils was some curiously large seed pods which they found growing in Peru.  When the Spaniards opened them, they found each pod contained 2-4 huge beans which were almost too tough to eat.  And, when the Spanish ate them raw, they suffered severe stomach pains which may have even been deadly.  They called them Lima beans, in reference to the Peruvian capital.  They cautiously stuck some in their saddlebags.

Turns out that Limas, like many edible plants, contain a mild insecticide to ward off pests.  American Lima beans contain trace amounts of cyanide (and their cousins, Asian Limas, are heavily laced with it).  The Spanish figured this out pretty quickly, and learned from the native Incas that when Limas are boiled, uncovered, the beans become both soft and safe.  (Designs on ancient native pottery suggest that Limas were eaten only by the Incan nobility, though we don’t know for sure.)  Once the Spanish realized how good cooked Limas were, they sent some home to Spain.  The raw pods are pretty much indestructible, so they traveled very well.  Soon, Lima beans were growing throughout Europe, and from there the Portuguese spread them to their colonies in Africa and Asia.  In 1865, a tramp steamer from Peru delivered the first known commercial shipment of Limas to the United States, at Santa Barbara, and soon they were growing throughout California.  Today, California grows more Limas than anywhere else in the world.

Limas are full of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, they help stabilize blood sugar levels, and they may even help prevent cancer.  Trouble is, you can usually only get them frozen (which may reduce some of their nutritional value) or canned (packed in salt and preservatives).  This time of the year, however, you can find them raw at roadside stands, still packed in their poisoned pods.  They’re just waiting for you to do what the Incas did:  tear the pods open, and throw out any soft beans.  (If you’re really dedicated, soak them for an hour and then peel the skins off.)  Boil the beans for about half an hour.  Then throw in some corn and red peppers, a little butter and salt.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Grab a fork, or better yet a soup spoon.

Sufferin’ Succotash!  What a delicious discovery.