Name in Dutch: tuinboontjes (little garden beans). I've seen them fresh at the grocer, but I was in a hurry today.
It's gloriously warm, and I feel like salads for dinner almost every night. This one I thought would be easy, and for the most part it was, until I realized I would need to shell each individual bean. As I stood in my kitchen for twenty minutes spitting flat beans out of their waxy coating while simultaneously trying to entertain a teething baby, I completely understood why some people prefer to eat fast food every night. Enough with this whole foods movement, let's go get some french fries.
But then it all just came together: the lemon slices, the crisp radish bits, the creamy avocado, and yes, those hearty fava beans. Even the baby seemed to appreciate the effort, diving into the salad with gusto. I felt so happy. Thanks, Amsterdam, for making my dinner enjoyable tonight.
You reminded me of a friend who said the Czechs need to borrow some vowels from the Dutch, mentioning Doutzen Kroes and Touriya Haoud; I had to mention Haoud is Arabic (Moroccan, originally, I think), but I also had to laugh. You can make any word look more Dutch by throewing ijn extraa vouweels!
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