Xoconostle on a Clay Comal
My local Mexican grocer had some xoconostle (sour prickly pears) and even though they were a little sad looking, I bought them all. We have a new shipment in from...
The Rancho Gordo Blog
In the kitchen
Rancho Gordo Class at Formaggio Kitchen
It's time to make beans, tortillas and more at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge. The details are here but I will add that I haven't been so excited about a class...
Shrimp in Cornhusks
With fellow gastronomer Nico Sando by my side, last night we made shrimp in cornhusks. In a glass bowl, we marinated whole, unpeeled shrimp in garlic, olive oil, fruit vinegar...
The Tortilla Project Arrives!
There was a day when I was visiting one of the farmers with the Rancho Gordo-Xoxoc Project in Mexico and an idea hit me. All the bean farmers we met...
Warm Chickpea and Greens Salad
From the Eat Cook Share site comes this great salad by Chef John Spottiswood. We modified things the tiniest bit, eliminating the option for canned garbanzos. "This was also a...
Another Use For Epazote
A lot of people are growing, foraging or buying epazote for beans. This is a fine idea but it's a versatile herb and you can use it for a simple...
The Foundation of Good Mexican Food
I've said it before but I think it bears repeating: The foundation of Mexican food is corn, chiles and beans. If you don't understand these three ingredients, you won't get...
Vanessa Barrington's New Book
I was checking up on my co-author Vanessa Barrington's blog and saw that her new book,D.I.Y. Delicious: Recipes and Ideas for Simple Food from Scratch is almost here and ready...
One of the Reasons I Love Napa
There are dozens of reasons why I love living in Napa, almost none of them involving wine. My fellow Napans make great neighbors and when there's a call for a...
Mermalada de Xoconostle
The sour prickly pear known as xoconostle continues to take over the world as we know it with this new marmalade-style jam from my business partners (and good friends) at...
My Favorite Bean Pot
Until you get obsessive, a normal pot is fine for beans. Once you start down that slippery slope, you'll want several different pots for different beans and different cuisines. I...
Bean Bowls
I can't tell you how many conversations I have with people who just don't know what to do with their beans after they've bought them. Even after I tell them,...