call them string beans no matter how you cut them

I call them string beans, most cook books call them green beans, well they are green but they are like strings so which is right? Anyway however you call them, while trying to remember why my tummy felt so much warmer in the coldest of days of winter when I lived in RI, Moncef came in from what was just a trip to buy the local paper, with some lovely fresh string beans. Long and beautiful formed like the kind of fingers that can play the piano keys so perfectly. I was just about to make some kind of veggie soup to warm us up on this coolest day yet, even if the rain that was promised never arrived. I remembered my dad making string-bean and potato soup, which he didn't make often and usually used it as a bribe, to get me to do something I didn't want to do, when necessary. That is it! That will make this beginning of winter become more friendly and cozier. Looking around my meager kitchen I found I still had some firm carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, and the last bit of fresh coriander leaves. That is all I need, along with a can of cherry tomatoes (unfortunately, I didn't have fresh). Now my tastes have changed a bit, I am sure my dad didn't use coriander nor ginger, probably parsley and marjoram, but I love these two components together along with tomatoes, it seems I use these ingredients in a lot of my 'italian' cooking, so I guess that makes it more of a 'fusion' style soup. In less than 30 minutes it was done and with some hot crusty bread and grated cheese on top - well - yes yes yes!

My version of String bean and potato soup: (for 2-4)
3 medium any kind potatoes chopped
3 carrots chopped loosely
1 onion coarsely chopped
Celery chopped (how much depends on your taste, less than the potatoes as much as the onion)
2 whole tomatoes chopped (or canned)
Vegetable stock (you can substitute a bullion cube)
Handfuls of String beans
Spices to taste: crushed red pepper, both fresh coriander and crushed seeds, cumin powder , fresh chopped garlic and grated ginger. Salt and black pepper to taste.

In a saucepan put the potatoes and carrots celery and onions into the stock. Boil until partially cooked then throw in the tomatoes and string-beans and spices.

Slowly cook to your liking. I like the potatoes softer so that they tend to thicken the stock. But I also like my string beans firm, this is sometimes hard to figure out you have to know your potatoes cooking time.