Our exclusive haricot Tarbais, or Tarbais beans, are imported directly from the Tarbais region of South West France where they are grown and hand-harvested in the traditional manner. For many generations, the people around the village Tarbes have grown the beans alongside corn, the stalks of which serve as bean poles. They are planted in May and harvested in September after drying naturally on the stalk.

These beautiful white beans were the first in France to be given "Red Label" status, which guarantees that they are grown in the region, in a specific way, and come from heirloom seeds. Tarbais beans also carry a "Protected Geographical Indication," or PGI, similar to the "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" (AOC) of the French wine industry, which further guarantees their authenticity.

Tarbais beans have a sweet, milky flesh and, even when they are cooked over long periods of time, most will remain whole, with just enough of them bursting to provide a creamy texture to your dish. These distinctive characteristics make them the ideal choice (we at D’Artagnan would say the only choice!) for a hearty cassoulet. But they are also suitable for any of your favorite recipes that call for dried white beans, from chili to braised greens. And we find them the perfect partner for pork, from bacon to pork chops. We also love to serve them puréed with our black truffle butter for an easy appetizer.

• Heirloom bean imported from the Tarbais region of France
• Dried on the stalk and hand harvested each fall
• Red Label certification and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) assure quality and authenticity
• Gluten-free
• 1 lb bag