Plain cooked white beans from Vendée These soft white beans date back to the 16th Century in South America when the sailors offered it to Pope Clement VII. The monks who were put in charge of looking into optimal conditions for acclimatisation soon discovered that the Marais Poitevin had the best environment for growing them. Carefully sorted, the beans are soaked, drained, rinsed then blanched and sorted again. They are the perfect accompaniment to the Cured ham from the Vendée region