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I haven't had lupini in a long time but I remember eating them when we were kids.... put them between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze. They pop right into your mouth. They're addicting!
We squeeze them and let them fly into our mouths
Good story, Rowena!
Joe, Maryann - I'm just curious if this is a common garden crop, as I've never heard of them before, italian name or otherwise. They certainly are something that you can keep on eating and eating...like boiled peanuts, but without the fuss of shelling them.
Wonderful post. I loved that first part of the story and I don't care if it's true or not! Love from Sicily x
he he I posted about some beans too, I smell trend....
When I shop at my favorite Italian store I can't come home till I buy a lb.or 2, of lupini's. They take alot of the salt out so they're ready to eat. We like to eat them with freshly ground pepper all over them! You got me craving some now!
I'd never heard of lupini beans and so went searching to see if they were available here. Turns out they are, but my search also turned up several articles regarding the toxic side of lupini... can't decide if that makes them more or less eligible for a foodie trend
Really enjoyed your post and wish I could get my hand on some of those beans. So cool that you live in Italy. Unfortunately, my options are limited here in Oklahoma.
I have a blog Le-Postage.blogspot.com
Michelle - I tried the address, but it didn't work. Anyway, Italy or wherever, I think there is always something to learn about different places. When you say Oklahoma, I think of Oklahoma the movie, but I am also reminded of one of my former bosses - Melva was her name - who was born and raised in a big family there. She was an expert cake decorator and gave me my first lesson!
What a gorgeous shot, makes me think I might like these. I'm a big bean fan, but dried fava I'm not fond of. Fresh yes love'm, dried and reconstitued , nyet. Odd food aversion, something about the strong flavor. That photo is very enticing tho.
I always love these little Italian tales you share with us. It reminds me of a storytelling class I once took.
Love the story. You have a great way of telling them.
I have never heard of these beans. Is the Fava bean the same as our Broad Bean??
Sorry about the previous error - the website is www.le-potage.blogspot.com
I like to try new foods and learn about new places. I've been on a real soup and beans kick all winter but now that spring is here am ready to lighten it up a bit - and Italian food is always a winner with my family. So cool that you had a boss from Oklahoma. I'm from Oklahoma City.
I love lupini! I remember eating them as a kid and even now they get pulled out after dinner or during card games! The funny thing is that when I am here (in Italy) I never eat them, but when I go back to Canada I eat tons of them.
I remember eating those beans as a kid. My uncle had a friend who would prepare those and he would always share with us. For some reason, I cannot remember the Portuguese name for them. I remember the story of the preparation...curing with salt, constantly changing the water, a laborious procedure. They were yummy and lot's of fun to pinch them out of their skins.
Truly a wonderful memory.
Aloha!
You know, Rowena, when I was a kid, my mom would buy these at the Italian deli. We loved them so much, we'd just eat em' straight from the jar. Now whenever we eat something that is addictive like popcorn or peanuts, my mom says, "We eat them like lubine," (her Italian-American accent coming through).
I have to say that in over 10 years of living here I have never once bought, tasted or smelled a lupino. I've seen them in stores but never felt the urge to buy them. Addictive bean snacks are always a little dangerous, if you know what I mean. But now I'm curious. I'm going to throw caution to the wind (no pun intended!)
Never ate lupini in Italy but certainly had a lot of them at my inlaws' home in Massachusetts, where I first tasted them. They were always part of holiday antipasto spreads -- and also a familiar snack with my father-in-law's strong homemade wines. They're available here in California, though not so popular as other pickled/brined treats.
Great vignette with the wolf! Now please also demonstrate the skin-removal technique . . .
Joanne - Although it took me 5 years and an old folktale to learn about lupini, I'm certainly glad for the discovery all the same. It only goes to show that writing about any foodstuff, no matter how seemingly dull, opens the window to discussing traditions and treasured memories from others. Thanks for sharing yours -- I just love that sort of stuff!
Lettie - I had seen on the lupin beans wikipedia link that they were also popular in Portugal, so reading about the curing process from what you recall was an interesting tidbit. Mahalo for sharing this memory!
Susan - Funny that nowadays I am always on the lookout for lupini at the deli counter! They are indeed addictive, but I really enjoyed reading about what your mom says. Mama knows best!
Milanese Masala - I'm thinking that if I had never learned of the legend of the Wolf of Gubbio... Eh, discovery after 5 years is better than not at all! Now it makes me curious of all the other foodstuffs that I am missing out on. Instead of animal folktales there should be a book on animal *food*tales. I'd be delighted to learn if the snake also ate apples instead of, as the story goes, slyly urging Eve to do so. 
kudzu - Just the other day I was snacking on lupini with a glass of pecorino. Not the cheese, but the wine! The two will become a regular staple from now on during happy hour! 
manju - Maybe after one too many swallows of vino someone will catch me doing just that at a most uninhibited moment -- and upload the clip on youtube. 
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