White beans from Feneós, small and oval with thin skins that allow them to cook much faster than the others. They grown in Feneós in the province of Corinthia, in an ancient lake bed surrounded by mountains, drained by an underground sinkhole (katavóthra), and channel dug according to myth by Heracles.
Throughout history the katavóthra was blocked on occasion, causing widespread flooding, but since it reopened in the 19th century, farmers have been growing these tasty beans that they called ‘vanilla’ for their colour and their slightly sweet taste.
Designated PDO.
Images by Poupoudou, ulrichstill