Not recommended

Beach bean (Canavalia rosea) is common around here. It grows very close to the water's edge. When I walked to the village today I noticed lots of juicy-looking pods, about 10 cm long. I wondered whether they might be edible and consulted my guide to wild food. I learned that the first European to eat beach bean was Captain Cook in 1770. He sensibly had them cooked (pun not intended) and said they were 'not to be despised'. Which sounds like faint praise to me. Joseph Banks was more direct, saying they were 'very bad'. In 1788, in the Sydney Cove settlement, they were eaten raw and those who ate them were 'seized with a violent vomiting'. We won't be trying them.

I cut open one of the pods - see extra.