I heart edamame

There's nothing better than a bowl of steamed, lightly-salted edamame (soybeans) with your beer.

Why not grow yourself an appetizer? West Coast Seeds, which I love because they're local (president Mary Ballon and I even went to the same Elementary School, albeit 30 years apart!) sells soybean seeds.

West Coast Seeds carries the 'Early Hakucho' variety, but Soybean 'Edamame' is good too, and then there's the oh-so-literal Soybean 'Beer Friend'. Here's what West Coast Seeds has to say about growing soybeans:

They grow well in ordinary garden soil. Plant in mid-September to early November in mild winter areas, 8cm (3 in.) deep just before the ground freezes. Weed between the rows of these over-wintering plants in the spring, and incorporate a nitrogen fertilizer to encourage early growth for a yield in June. Or plant in February. Set the seeds 12cm (5 in.) apart, 4cm (11/2 in.) deep in double or single rows 1m (3 ft.) apart. Providing stakes or strings between the rows may help control the plant’s tendency to fall over when bearing heavily. When aphids attack in May/June, pinch out the growing tip to stop further new growth on which the aphids feed. This helps the plant to mature the setting pods.

Then, I might add, pick when pods are plump and green, make yourself a batch, and pour yourself a cold one.