This soup is a classic staple in the Greek diet, both in summer and winter. The beans are grown during the summer, and collected and dried in the sun to last through winter. In the summer fassolatha is eaten at room temperature, and served with salty side dishes such as ranga (smoked and dried mackerel), anchovies, olives or feta and a few spring onions for crunch. In the winter, a steaming bowl of fassolatha with fresh crusty bread warms one from the inside. This soup is a meal in itself, it is not intended to be served as a starter.