A generous gift of Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy by Judith Barrett (published by Rancho Gordo Press), plus four great legumes for Italian cooking. 

Your gift box includes Royal Corona, Black Garbanzo, Cranberry, and Marcella, all tremendous and versatile beans for many memorable dishes.  

Marcella: Marcella beans are grown in California from Italian Sorana seedstock. Sorana is a cannellini bean with incredibly thin skin and when cooked properly, an indulgent creamy texture. You can use them in your kitchen as you would any small white, European-style bean, but with an ingredient like this, simple is often better.

Royal Corona: A hand-harvested crop straight from Europe into your pantry. Giant, fat, white runner beans that are creamier and more luxurious than Greek and Spanish gigandes and a little denser than traditional Italian coronas. 

Cranberry (Borlotti): Cranberry beans are soft and dense with a soft, rich texture. The thin skins help produce a rich bean broth, making it the natural friend of pasta e fagioli (pasta fazool), as the liquid coats each noodle with its luxurious sauce.

Black Garbanzo (Ceci Neri): Black Garbanzos are much denser than classic Garbanzos, making them ideal for salads, stews, or even baked dishes. The skins are thicker but they are not chewy or tough, just a little more interesting.