mealy beans

Lyndie, my tap water could very well be hard. I will try salt/baking soda nad olive oil.

Le Bec Fin, I had bought the beans recently, but cannot be sure when they were stocked. There was no bug infestation.

p.s. might they have been bug-infested?(a sure sign of this is an accumulation of cornmeal- like white bits in the bottom of the bag.)

are they old?or recently bought, from a store w/ typically high turnover?

Are you soaking your beans before cooking? If so, how long? Many claim that longer than 24 hours can contribute to a mealy texture. Is it possible that your tap water is "hard" (high in calcium and magnesium)? This will also affect texture. Try adding salt when you begin cooking to offset the effects of hard tap water. Also, a bit of baking soda and a tablespoon of olive oil might help.