Rancho Gordo Chili con Carne
Among chili aficionados, your answer to the question of "beans or no beans" can earn you disdain or respect. I love beans in my chili but I also dislike that...
The Rancho Gordo Blog
Lamb and Flageolet from the Pacific Northwest
You meet a lot of great people online (and some real nut-jobs) and one of my favorite online friends, Leslie, has really outdone herself with her version of lamb with...
Modern Chilaquiles
And the chilaquiles discussion continues. Food snobs may be horrified but the hungry will be satisfied. My travelling buddy Christopher Ann offers this quick variation on the classic dish with...
Lorna Sass' Posole with Pork and Chipotle
I have the feeling that in a previous life Lorna Sass and I had some kind of oddball vaudeville routine. From the minute I met her, I felt like our...
Rice. Who Knew?
Rice isn't a New World grain but its relationship to beans is so famous, it has to enter the conversation sooner or later. Like most people, I like it and...
Chilaquiles with Fresh Salsa
You can tell that chilaquiles were made to use up stale tortillas and leftovers. I think it's a real tribute to the Mexican kitchen that one of the best dishes...
Rachel Ray, Eat My Dust!
I'm not here to bash Rachel Ray and her 30 minute meals (although with a few drinks, I could and would), but I have a quick meal that beats hers...
BOOK: Super Natural Cooking
I have to say, Saturday mornings at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market are pretty hopping. The crowds come in waves and while I enjoy seeing everyone, I particularly like the...
Fun with Duck Fat
Several people have told me about how nice popcorn is cooked with duck fat rather than regular oil. I'd been using olive oil and feeling pretty indulgent but this takes...
Not Casssoulet (But Mighty Fine)
Updated: We now of course grow our own Cassoulet beans here in California from heirloom French Tarbais seed. I mentioned making this in the Rancho Gordo newsletter but I thought...
Refried Black Valentines
Black Valentines are an oval-shaped black bean that really seems more like a cross between a kidney and a black bean. Raw, they have a beautiful matte finish that makes...