There are likely 50-60 different types of beans that are generically called "limas", they come in both both and pole varieties, and there are at least 25 different colors. Vermont Bean and Seed Company is a good online source of info and pics as is Cook's Thesaurus (linked below) of many of the varieties. To further complicate the problem, many refer to the southern peas, field peas, and butter beans as "limas". So, without knowing the actual name on the seed packet of the variety you planted it will be difficult to pin them down. The 2 most common home garden varieties are Henderson and Fordhooks but neither of them turn purple when cooked. They go green. But they will interact with aluminum pans (Revere ware and the like) and take on a lavender cast to them. I suspect that is what you are seeing. If you cook in stainless steel, they should go green. If they don't then you have some other variety. Hope this helps. Dave

Yes, the favas (geez, I had "limas" typed out just then - even still, I'm getting the names confused!) taste quite a lot like edamame. I think that's why I enjoyed them so much. The texture and flavor were similar, but a bit more assertive in the favas than you'd find in a soybean. I was feeling too blah to cook the limas after making a batch of kale chips to snack on (have you all tried them? Holy goodness, they are SO good!), so I'll have to futz with them tomorrow. It sounds like they need a bit of cooking time, as some of the recipes I saw said to boil them for 15 minutes or until tender, and they were referring to fresh limas. That sounds like an awfully long time to boil anything green, so we shall see. I like mealy beans a lot, so that might not be a bad thing. Vall3fam, I hadn't even thought of checking out TJ's or Whole Paycheck for frozen favas, and I was just there today! I'll have to look the next time I go. I'd love to buy them fresh, but even at $1/lb, I'd end up composting 3/4 of it because the shell to bean ratio is so small, and decreases even more when you peel the skins off of the beans.

I grow heirloom pole limas across the river in New Jersey very successfully, and a friend in Bucks County also grows the beans. I've never been in love with the bush types, but that is simply personal taste. With pole limas most people start them in late May - I start mine earlier in peat pots -because they take so long to start producing, usually early August. Pole Limas are also very large vines, you only need maybe one vine every few feet. Starting in late June thru August they will grow up to 6 inches a day so they require a heavy trellis. You also need to grow at least 20 feet of vines in order to get a good harvest - I grow around 40 feet. What I do is plant 4X4s every 10 feet or so, run a wire between them at the top and bottom, and run strings between the wires. Once my pole beans start in August they continue to produce until frost ends the season. If you decide you want to grow limas you can email me. I am always willing to pass along the dried beans to anyone who wishes to grow them. They are a very rare local type who's history I can trace back at least 100 years and are also some of the tastiest limas I've even eaten.

Susy that recipe from BF sounds very similar to my "Elegant Lima Beans" recipe. I have never made it with the older, white dried limas but I'm going to try it this weekend because I have some to use up. Note that my recipe calls for a lot less water than Bobby's. Elegant Lima Beans 4 cups cooked lima beans (I use the green baby limas, the frozen ones, but I'll bet this would be good with the white butter bean limas too. I've seen both green limas and butter beans sold canned some places. I just cooked up a batch of dry limas for the first time last year and I really liked them. I make my beans in the crockpot.) 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce 4 oz. shredded swiss cheese. I use jarlsburg, or kasseri cheese, but I'll bet you could use feta. 1 - 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (I use the lower amount, walnuts are high in calories and fat. I'll bet you could even go down to 2/3 cup on those.) 1/4 tsp. dried basil, crumbled, (or maybe a little more, depends on how you feel about basil, I love it) 1 green pepper, diced (I also sometimes add a small diced zuchinni, which you can also add or sub. for the green pepper since some people don't like peppers. Can also use celery if you like it. Start with what you know you will like though. The additional veggies add more good fiber but I guess you could leave them out if you hate those green veggies.) 3/4 cup water or veg. broth, unsalted if possible 1/2 tsp. salt (you could experiment with less, I almost always use less than the recipe calls for, or even omit because canned tomato sauce has salt in it. I get unsalted veg. broth bouillon cubes in the health food section of Wegman's, but if you can't find unsalted broth, then use water or leave out additional salt.) 1/4 tsp. pepper minced parsley to garnish Combine cooked or defrosted limas, vegetables, tomato sauce and water or broth. Simmer 10-15 min. until vegetables are just starting to get tender. Mix in shredded cheese and walnuts, and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 min. Notes: You can toast the walnuts in the oven as it is preheating before adding them to the casserole, but watch them carefully so they don't burn. Usually about 8 min. in the oven at 300 is enough to toast. I hardly ever have fresh parsley so I stir in about 1-2 tsp. dried parsley to the stew before putting it in the oven.