Tarbais White Bean Cultivated for centuries at the foot of the Pyr_n_es in Tarbes this white bean was originally cultivated by the Aztecs in Mexico. Introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus, it is said that the combination of the pebbly soil and the mild climate produces a bean unlike any other in the world; indeed haricots tarbais have earned the prestigious label rouge (red label). With their thin easy-to-digest skin and sweet non-farinaceous flesh, haricots tarbais are an essential ingredient of the classic dishes of the region, garbure and cassoulet.