The Bean Book

Starred review from June 1, 2024

Sando, the founder of the highly regarded heirloom bean company Rancho Gordo, offers a guide to cooking with beans. The collection, written with Julia Newberry, general manager of Rancho Gordo and coauthor of The Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen, begins with a lengthy introduction that includes a history of beans in the Americas, Sando's bean cooking method (plus how to do it in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or clay pot), and pantry suggestions for those focused on the culinary possibilities of beans. Then there's a highlight chapter: almost 20 pages devoted to 50 heirloom varieties of beans, each with a photo, tasting notes, and a recipe index. Then come the recipes, divided into dips and appetizers, salads, soups, stovetop dishes such as braises, beans and grains, baked beans, patties, and a roundup of sweets, stocks, and salsas. Choices range from Greek slow-baked garbanzos with tomatoes and peppers to moros y cristianos to pizza beans to baked beans. Many of the recipes are either vegetarian or can be adapted to be so. Striking photos round out the work. VERDICT Authoritative, welcoming, and wide-ranging, this is a key title for all collections.--Neal Wyatt

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 5, 2024
Sando, the brains behind heirloom-bean seller Rancho Gordo, shares his expertise in this comprehensive tome. A list of 50 bean varieties—from tiny alubia blanca to Tuscan zolfino legumes—is a useful resource, as are the master recipes for cooking beans in various vessels. Instructions for soaking and suggestions for stretching a large batch over a week also prove helpful. Many recipes have a Mexican bent, including refried beans, and Veracruz-style salt cod and white beans in tomato sauce. There are also Italian options, such as toast topped with white beans inspired by Rancho Gordo customer Marcella Hazan, and a Persian kidney bean and lamb stew. Sando’s home state of California is amply represented in such recipes as a mélange of dates, bacon, and pinquito beans, and the dishes come from a wide range of sources: a Basque-style stew with kale evolved from a recipe in the Guardian, while writer Faith Kramer contributes cholent and Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen came up with cheesy “pizza beans.” A trio of desserts includes a spiced navy bean pie from a San Francisco bakery. Rancho Gordo has a large following and this helpful overview is poised to grow that audience even further.

August 1, 2024
This homage to the heirloom bean comes from none other than Rancho Gordo, purveyors of dozens of vibrant pulses that have been reintroduced and sourced from around the world. With varieties ranging from the colorful Rio Zape, meaty pinquitos, and creamy alubias blancas to cleverly named varieties like Jacob's Cattle or Good Mother Stallard, it's not hard to be convinced that these hearty and fibrous plants deserve to take center stage at mealtime. Some of the 100 mouthwatering meals include dishes like white beans with clams and chorizo; Royal Corona, Swiss chard and mushroom stew; big white beans with roasted peppers and pepitas; black bean burgers; and roasted chicken thighs over poblano and white bean sauce. A bean pie also showcases how to whip up these heirloom varietals into an appealing dessert. Attractive photography featuring warm stews and toasted slices of bread spread with plumped-up white beans and topped with a pop of rosy prosciutto provide the necessary allure to getting the slow cooker revved up and ready to create satisfying, plant-forward dinners.

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