Description
The Lingot du Nord PGI is a white bean of variety Lingot.
Production Area
The production area of the Lingot du Nord PGI, in the Lys valley, includes several municipal areas of the Nord department and other municipal areas of the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.
Production Method
Lingot du Nord PGI beans cultivation can be fertilised according to soil analysis and plants requirements. When most of the leaves have fallen, beans are harvested, paying attention to beans ripening that must not be fully ripe and otherwise they would fall from the pods. Once they are harvested, they are put to dry in frames using the traditional method in the open air for at least seven days. Once they are dry, beans are brought indoors, in a dry and ventilated place. Then, they are threshed in traditional threshers called bogueuses, which do not break the beans. After that, they are packed, without a precise order, in bags and shipped to the centres where they are selected, measured and final conditioning will take place.
Appearance and Flavour
Lingot du Nord PGI has an average length of 16 mm, with an almost cylindrical shape, not kidney-shaped and flat at one end. Colour varies from white to off-white. The skin is fine and tender and its flavour is typical not floury.
History
The first evidence of Lingot du Nord PGI cultivation dates back to 1856, whereas evidence of the traditional drying method goes back to 1865. In 1909, 4,400 hectares were planted with this bean. In 1950, Lingot du Nord PGI was indicated as the most widely grown in the Lys valley.
Gastronomy
Beans must be preserved in fresh and dry places. These beans, of fine skin and melt-in-the-mouth texture, do not need to be soaked before cooking. They can be consumed, previously cooked, in several ways. The Lingot du Nord PGI is also used in regional restaurants, which suggest typical dishes as frog ravioli with parsley and Lingot du Nord PGI sauce, or oxtail or also homemade boiled meat with these beans. Traditionally they are used as side-dish of smoked sausages.
Marketing
The product is sold as Lingot du Nord PGI. It is marketed packed in net bags, plastic bags or boxes of 250 or 500 gr or in jute bags of 10.25 or 50 kg.
Distinctive Features
The climate is particularly suitable for the beans growth and favours drying. Poor humidity avoids putrefaction. The high clay content in the soil determines the taste of the beans and the fact that they cook well. It also gives the melt-in-the-mouth texture. All these features make Lingot du Nord PGI a highly prized product, unique in its type.
