My First Meal at the Hacienda
I'm happy to know I have photographs of the day I met two of my best friends. Often, it's hard to remember where or when you first met the people...
The Rancho Gordo Blog
Behind the Scenes: Rancho Gordo in Sunset Magazine
I don't know if you've picked up the February issue of Sunset Magazine yet, but you'll find an 8-page spread inside all about the Rancho Gordo-Xoxoc Project and the hacienda...
Swiss Chard Soup with Chickpeas and Barley
(An encore post.) I received a lot of emails asking for this recipe when I posted about it on Facebook and Twitter. As I said, I used the wonderful new...
The Simplest and Best Soup I Know and the Trick to Make It Magnificent
If you love beans, you want beans. You don't want a lot of other things getting in the way. But if you're making soup, you do need to do something....
The Eternal Question: Bean Soaking. Or Not.
You know you've gone from casual cook to bean freak when you find you are interested in whether or not to soak beans. Like the amount of vermouth in a...
A Tasty Break at Rancho Gordo: Rosca de Reyes and Champurrado
One of our favorite traditions here is to take a break on each 6th day of January and dig into a rosca de reyes. There's a baby Jesus hidden inside...
What Italian Bean Did Marcella Hazan Miss the Most? I Know.
Marcella beans are grown in California from Italian Sorana seedstock. Sorana is a cannellini bean with incredibly thin skin and when cooked properly, an indulgent creamy texture. You can use...
Advice from a Reader: Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
I'm such a lucky fellow to have such smart customers and readers. Paula was reading about my adventures with our new Black Eyed Peas and sent the following. You'll want...
Yes, Steve, You Cynical Old Scrooge, There Is a Santa Claus
I've been on pins and needles as we make our way through the holiday season. I've been telling everyone not to freak out, feel too much pressure and just get...
You Now Have New Years Day Plans: Bryant Terry's Texas Caviar on Grilled Rustic Bread
My new passion for Black Eyed Peas has led me to local author Bryant Terry and his book, Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed. There are lots of...
The Glory That Is Posole
Like a lot of you, I make Posole over the holidays. Last year I made mine for New Year's Eve and as I was making it, I started laughing at...
How Lucky Can You Get? Black Eyed Peas for New Years Day
We get more requests for Black Eyed Peas for New Year’s Day than just about anything. Eager shoppers come to our stores or online, expecting us to have the best...