Season Fourteen, Episode Six. Still Growing
Explore the creamy lima bean and its long history as a nourishing crop across the Americas.
The complete script for this episode, with the two hosts, in eleven parts.
Amiyah: Hey guys, hope y'all having a good day. How is y'all today?
Poke: Doing great, sunny as ever over here. How are you, Amiyah?
Amiyah: I am wonderful, so happy to be back with you all.
Amiyah: All right, let's spin the wheel and see what we have today.
Poke: boom. Lima beans!
Amiyah: The wheel spun to lima beans, the creamy pale beans with a long and nourishing history. The hosts were happy to give this humble crop its due.
Poke: Buckle up, folks. We are doing lima beans today.
Amiyah: So where does lima beans actually come from?
Poke: Lima beans come from the Americas and have been grown for thousands of years, taking their name from a great coastal city of South America. They were a vital crop for ancient peoples.
Amiyah: Wait, really?
Poke: Carried around the world, lima beans became a staple in many cuisines, valued for being filling, nourishing, and easy to dry and store.
Amiyah: Time for the surprising tidbits.
Poke: Lima beans are also called butter beans for their creamy texture.
Amiyah: I did not know that at all.
Poke: They grow inside flat green pods.
Amiyah: That tracks.
Poke: They come in pale green and creamy white.
Amiyah: Wait, really?
Poke: They must be cooked before eating.
Amiyah: Break down the different types for me.
Poke: Lima beans come in small and large types.
Amiyah: I am listening.
Poke: Baby lima beans are small and tender.
Amiyah: Large lima beans, or butter beans, are big and creamy.
Poke: That tracks.
Amiyah: Speckled lima beans add a pretty pattern.
Amiyah: Take me around the globe with this one.
Poke: In the American South, lima beans star in the dish succotash.
Amiyah: Okay, that is so good to know.
Poke: In Peru, they are stewed into hearty dishes.
Amiyah: I did not know that at all.
Poke: In the Mediterranean, butter beans are braised with herbs.
Amiyah: That tracks.
Poke: Across many kitchens, they are simmered into soups.
Amiyah: Let us bust a myth. What have we got?
Poke: A lot of people think some people think lima beans and butter beans are different.
Amiyah: Oh, I love that.
Poke: Here is the truth. They are the same bean. Butter beans is simply another name for lima beans, often used for the larger, creamier ones.
Poke: Time for our favorite part, the fan question.
Poke: Why do lima beans taste so creamy?
Amiyah: Love this question.
Amiyah: Their soft, starchy texture turns smooth and buttery when cooked, which is exactly why they earned the nickname butter beans.
Amiyah: Let me give you my honest, unvarnished opinion.
Amiyah: Not my usual pick, but I respect it, and I would give it a fair shot.
Poke: Classic Amiyah take. I respect the commitment to the bit.
Amiyah: Amiyah loves buttery lima beans with a little fresh thyme.
Poke: Poke prefers them simmered into a cozy bean soup.
Poke: I am just a palm tree, but even I think that is a spicy take.
Amiyah: Okay, quick facts, lightning round style.
Amiyah: Lima beans are also called butter beans.
Poke: They grow inside flat pods.
Amiyah: They are creamy when cooked.
Poke: They have fed people for thousands of years.
Amiyah: Quick recap before we cook.
Poke: The hosts learned that lima beans, also called butter beans, are creamy and nourishing beans grown for thousands of years across the Americas and enjoyed in soups, stews, and succotash.
Amiyah: And now my favorite part, the recipe.
Poke: Today we are making Buttery Lima Beans. The full ingredients and steps are right below.
Amiyah: Thanks for spinning with us. Spin It. Learn It. Love It.™
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