I have to confess that I'm not in love with ordinary Navy or Great Northern beans. They have a blandness and "comfort food" quality that puts me to sleep. Navy beans also have a slight gumminess that I really don't care for. I much prefer the buttery Runner beans or the light and delicate Marrow bean. But I do understand there are moments, especially as the colder weather approaches when you want something a little less challenging, a little more familiar and still full of flavor. Meet the Yellow Eye bean, an incredible heirloom bean you need in your pantry. You can cook it using my preferred method of a simple mirepoix with olive oil or you can go to town and use a ham hock. I like them on their own, cooked simply but you could use Yellow Eyes for the famous Senate Navy Bean Soup or even classic baked beans. If you're in San Francisco this weekend, I'll introduce them at the farmers market. They'd make a great side dish this Thanksgiving. Of course they are also available online. These look very much like Butterscotch Calypso, a great bean we have grown in the past. But the Calypso beans (both Butterscotch and Black) have distinct potato flavor. The Yellow Eyes do not.