This is the season of peak abundance—with the hot-weather crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, summer squash, beans) in full force, while the cool-weather crops (salad greens, Asian greens, fall roots, winter squash) are just coming on. It is also the season for the fresh green soybean, often called by its Japanese name, edamame (eh-dah-mah-may).

Edamame is a beautiful vegetable. In the field, the golden haze of slanting September sunshine reflects off the soft fuzz that outlines the stems and pods. Popped into your mouth, the slick orbs have a pleasing toothiness, followed by a sweet, buttery taste that makes it impossible to eat just one. In fact, in Japan, where I first ate them, they take the place of peanuts, and come to the table as a salty snack, along with the ice cold beers you order on the rooftop beer gardens during the summer or at bars year round.  

Soy has become a huge part of our lives these days—with soy milk, soy burgers, and soy energy bars. But the fresh green soybean is still relatively rare on our plates. Yet nothing could be simpler to prepare, or more fun to eat. While they are often now available in the frozen food section of the grocery store, now is the time to seek some out from a local farmer (visit localharvest.org).

In addition to healthy amounts of vitamins A and B, edamame have lots of calcium and fiber. More importantly, they have many phytochemicals that have only recently begun to be appreciated. If you read health or nutrition columns, you know that soybeans are full of a class of phytochemicals called isoflavones. The research is not definitive, but it suggests that these isoflavones may reduce the risk of cancer, lower cholesterol, and help prevent heart disease and osteoporosis. They may also significantly alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

"…the fresh green soybean is still relatively rare on our plates. Yet nothing could be simpler to prepare, or more fun to eat."
Yet when you subject soybeans to intense processing (soy milk and so on), you lose a lot of isoflavones. Researchers in a USDA-Iowa State University study agree that the reason for the low isoflavone content is the processing methods used. They state that “as much as 60 percent or more of the isoflavone in the raw soybean is lost during processing.” And they conclude that “at this time there is no way for a consumer (or expert) to tell from a food label which processing methods have been used and what the isoflavone content of the food might be.”

But when you get edamame straight from the field, you can be sure that they are bursting with all the right stuff.

Eda-mame (Boiled Green Soybeans)
1 pound soybeans
2 Tb salt
2 quarts water

1. Put a big pot of salted water on the stove on high heat
2. If your soybeans are still on the stem, sit down while the water is coming to a boil, and strip the pods off the stems. (The beans grow from the woody branches of the tall soybean bush, and its name (eda = twig or branch; mame = bean) reflects that.) When the water is boiling, throw the soybeans in, pods and all. Boil for about 5 minutes.
3. Drain and place in a bowl. (If you are not worried about your salt intake, you can add another tablespoon of salt and toss the still steaming beans. Some of this salt will penetrate into the beans, making them especially tasty.)
4. Let the beans cool to room temperature. Pick up a pod, hold it close to your lips, and gently squeeze the beans into your mouth. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s incredibly good for you.

Right now, while the beans are in season, buy a large amount, cook them up in a big pot, eat some, and then put the rest into a ziplock bag.  Nothing could be simpler, and with a quick microwave or plunge into boiling water, you’ll taste the September sun in January.