Beans, Snap

Also green beans, string beans

Including common snap (green, yellow, purple), filet or French, Italian flat or Romano, Dragon Tongue and Tongue of Fire, Dutch flat pole See also: YARD-LONG BEAN

Snap beans look so different from one another that they confuse cooks who are not familiar with the whole range. But if you know and like any one, do not hesitate to try the others. They are surprisingly similar in the kitchen. All those pictured here are young forms of the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris (see also Common Bean), harvested before the seeds (beans) develop appreciably. It is the tender green (meaning immature—not green in color) pods that are eaten at this stage of growth. Although “string bean” is a term still applied, few snap beans today have the tough filaments that earned the name.