On 2007-05-03, David > wrote:

> It is definitely not a needless step.

Yes, it is. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to soak beans for
any length of time unless you want the skin to remain tough long after
the interior is cooked. The longer you soak, the more pronounced this
effect. OTOH, I suppose there are some folks who like their bean skin
a little more chewy.


nb