# Can't find a French Cut green bean to save my life **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 25, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476 "2008-11-25T20:09:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/21 "2008-11-26T02:56:36Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > :urk: > > 'scuse me. No no no. It’s good. The pears and cream cheese are blended, the lime is just for flavor – it’s a smooth dessert, slightly tart. It’s not your grandma’s jello dessert. Really! It’s awesome. Where are you? Come on over Thursday, I’ll show ya. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![tesseract](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@tesseract](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseract)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/22 "2008-11-26T04:05:55Z")
We always have Green Bean Casserole and we’ve never used French cut…that’s odd. Just the regular canned kind. Why can’t you use the regular kind? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/23 "2008-11-26T11:02:26Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > It’s Green Bean casserole! How can their possibly be a difference between canned and frozen? Seriously. Well, it’s a personal preference. For starters, I’m not doing green bean casserole. Just green beans and slivered almonds (we’re trying to keep the calories down a little this year). Secondly, there is a HUGE difference between canned and fresh. The color of canned green bean is the immediate turn-off for me (they’re kind of gray), and the canning liquid is gross. I buy both, because Mr. K actually prefers canned, but we had both the other night and we put the leftovers in the same bowl. The canned ones _looked_ like they’d gone round the bend a month ago! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/24 "2008-11-26T11:04:27Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > **Kalhoun** , no carrots! This is the one with cream cheese, whipped cream, pears, maraschino cherries, and pecans. If I can find the frakkin’ recipe. Wow. Your family has raised it to an art! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/25 "2008-11-26T12:58:35Z")
The thread title is a tad dramatic. “Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a casserole recipe that calls for French cut green beans. If you don’t find any, Thanksgiving is ruined. What do you do? _What do you do?_” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/26 "2008-11-26T14:15:41Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The thread title is a tad dramatic. > > “Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a casserole recipe that calls for French cut green beans. If you don’t find any, Thanksgiving is ruined. What do you do? _What do you do?_” Dramatic, indeed. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/27 "2008-11-26T14:55:40Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Secondly, there is a HUGE difference between canned and fresh. The color of canned green bean is the immediate turn-off for me Word! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/28 "2008-11-26T15:20:51Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > My sister suggested that. I couldn’t even find the standard green beans. I think the French cut is probably a bit tedious, but it can be done. I think that’s what the weird-ass end of a potato peeler is for. Mine, however, looks a bit funky. Costco has some beautiful French (not French cut) fresh green beans this week. They’re in the walk in cooler by the salad greens and stuff. They’re so thin, you could probably get away with not Frenching them, and still get the texture you’re used to. If you want to French them at home, just cut them in half lengthwise down the “seam”, and cut across the halved pods at an angle to make 2"ish lengths. Steam or boil them for about 2 minutes and then plunge them into ice water to keep 'em green, and then proceed with your recipe as usual. The bit on the end of your peeler is for digging out eyes and bad spots on potatoes, not for Frenching…unless you have a weird peeler. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/29 "2008-11-26T15:55:07Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The thread title is a tad dramatic. > > “Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a casserole recipe that calls for French cut green beans. If you don’t find any, Thanksgiving is ruined. What do you do? _What do you do?_” You shoot the hostage! (They’d probably prefer that to another Thanksgiving with green bean casserole.:p) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/30 "2008-11-26T16:06:32Z")
> [@TroubleAgain](#): > > You shoot the hostage! (They’d probably prefer that to another Thanksgiving with green bean casserole.:p) But what if the casserole was made by Hitler and the oven’s on fire? Quick! We need some acid glue! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/31 "2008-11-26T16:12:31Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I think the French cut is probably a bit tedious, but it can be done. I think that’s what the weird-ass end of a potato peeler is for Behold the [Bean Frencher](http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/gadgets.html) ([kitchenfantasy.com](http://kitchenfantasy.com) - scroll down, there are two on the page.) And before someone else does it: Bean Frencher - band name! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/32 "2008-11-26T16:21:57Z")
AAAAAAAHHHHH! Unitasker! [Unitasker](http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-unitasker.htm)! Burn the kitchen witch! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ShermanAter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ShermanAter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShermanAter)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/33 "2008-11-26T16:35:08Z")
Me as a kid: "But, I **Hate** green bean casserole "(whine) My Dad: “You’ll eat it and like it”, as he scoops a big serving spoons worth of vileness onto my plate. Me as a kid: (heavy sigh) I still **HATE** it but don’t have to eat it anymore. Happy Thanksgiving everyone ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/34 "2008-11-26T19:04:32Z")
We never had the actual green bean casserole when I was a kid. We had green beans with mushroom soup. None of that other stuff, like the onions on top. One of the things that made my husband love his MIL was that she saved some green beans out for him, and put them in a bowl, separate, without the mushroom soup. No big deal for her, but he was highly impressed. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/35 "2008-11-26T20:20:32Z")
> [@ShermanAter](#): > > My Dad: “You’ll eat it and like it”, as he scoops a big serving spoons worth of vileness onto my plate. Good gad, You should have called SCAN. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/36 "2008-11-26T21:38:11Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Costco has some beautiful French (not French cut) fresh green beans this week. They’re in the walk in cooler by the salad greens and stuff. They’re so thin, you could probably get away with not Frenching them, and still get the texture you’re used to. > > If you want to French them at home, just cut them in half lengthwise down the “seam”, and cut across the halved pods at an angle to make 2"ish lengths. Steam or boil them for about 2 minutes and then plunge them into ice water to keep 'em green, and then proceed with your recipe as usual. > > The bit on the end of your peeler is for digging out eyes and bad spots on potatoes, not for Frenching…unless you have a weird peeler. Not THAT end! On some peelers, the handle end has a Frencher thingamadoodle. It looks like you draw the bean through this little slicing opening…one at a time.☹ My dad found some at his local Jewel, so…woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/37 "2008-11-26T22:45:53Z")
mission acomplished!! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476/38 "2008-11-26T22:47:46Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Not THAT end! On some peelers, the handle end has a Frencher thingamadoodle. Really? That’s co cool! I’ve never seen such a thing. (That, technically, wouldn’t be a unitasker…hmmm…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-a-french-cut-green-bean-to-save-my-life/474476.md?page=1)