Friends invited me over to a party to celebrate their new Caja China and the roasting of a whole pig. Rich did all kinds of research and dutifully prepared the pig according to the instructions and other comments on the internet. I decided the party deserved beans so I cooked them in a huge clay pot. I started 8 pounds at home and cooked them on the stovetop with onions, garlic, olive oil and salt. When they were just shy of being perfect, I shut off the gas and went to the party.

The beanpot on fire performed beautifully and everyone agreed they were swell beans. (
Good Mother Stallard, for the record.) The
Caja China however did quite perform up to par. Hours and hours went by and the pig still wasn't done. I had to leave when the night came and my friends were still laughing and drinking and enjoying beans with no pork.