Life has been coming at me fast, so I don't have a big cooking thought to share. Or even a medium-sized one. So, here's something I love…
"Did you get the a new bean box?"
- My bean-loving son
It's bean box day!
I shout my love for pressure cooker beans from the rooftops. Beans are one of the reasons I became a pressure cooker convert; dried beans are so much better than canned, and pressure cooking is quick. I can use dried beans in my day-to-day cooking, without having to plan a day ahead.
Rancho Gordo grows the best beans I've ever had. I heard about them on the Internet years ago, and could not get over the price…until my wife brought me back a few bags from a business trip to San Francisco. (Rancho Gordo is in the Ferry Market Building in downtown SF.) And, oh, my, what beans they were.
Why are they so good? I think they are fresher than the beans I get in the store. (Even the organic beans from the fancy natural foods store, with high turnover.) Rancho Gordo beans just taste…beanier. (Is that a word? Sure. Go with it.)
Now, they are expensive I can get a pound of beans for a buck or two at my local grocery store. (I do get them at my local grocery when I'm in a hurry and need a specific kind of bean.) Rancho Gordo beans average about $5.99/lb. I think of these beans as a luxury, like a prime grade steak - but they are a luxury I can afford on a regular basis.
That's why I joined the Rancho Gordo bean club, and get my quarterly shipment of beans. (And, this time, a bag of black Quinoa. Interesting…) I supplement with an occasional order to stock up on my favorites, Midnight Black Beans, Pinto Beans, and Domingo Rojo Beans. As I said, they're an everyday luxury for me.
[Update 2018-01-18: Whoops, the Bean Club is sold out. Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up, and keep an eye out to see if they reopen.]
So, if you are willing to spend for the best beans, check out Rancho Gordo.
Note: This post is not sponsored, and I'm not an affiliate. I just love these beans.
Penny says
Hi Mike! I am a RG Bean Club member as well. I feel much the same way you do when my box arrives, like a kid on Christmas morning. Are you a member of the RG Bean Club Facebook group? It’s a very active group. You’d be a great addition!
Razzy 7 says
I second what Mike says. I too love Rancho Gordo beans. My favorite variety is Good Mother Stallard.
One reason Rancho Gordo beans are so good is because they're fresh. When the season's supply is gone, that's it until the next growing season. Apparently in the case of supermarkets, the beans on the shelf today could have been in a warehouse for several years.