We've been following Illyanna Maisonet for years. She's an excellent food writer with a natural curiosity. Her articles for the San Francisco Chronicle were legendary. She's an odd and appealing mix of honesty, integrity, vulnerability, and maybe a touch of confidence now and then. She knows her subject, but...

Allison Robicelli is a very provocative food writer and when she's not making me laugh on Twitter, she's offering solid advice for things like cabbage. This is her technique for cabbage wedges; I think they're an ideal buddy for a bowl of perfectly cooked heirloom beans.  1 pound whole white...

Runner beans make a welcome component in a salad because they are thick-skinned and firm, but with a creamy interior. You can prepare all the components of this salad in advance, but wait until just before serving to combine everything, so all the ingredients stay crisp and fresh. ½ bunch fresh cilantro...

A big bowl of sauteed greens and heirloom beans always makes me happy. One lazy Sunday l used Italian green chard and King City Pinks, and something possessed me to add a handful of dust from the bottom of a bowl of mixed nuts. It was terrific. Who knew? —Steve 1 bunch chard ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil...

Lately, I've been indulging in jars of roasted red peppers from Trader Joe's. But I do roast fresh poblano chiles, often. If I have a couple, I will roast them over the gas flame on my stovetop, turning, until blistered all over. If I have more than a couple, I...

Our original plans to celebrate our 20th anniversary were thwarted by the pandemic. We had planned a major shindig with lots of guests and even a cumbia band, but of course, things just weren't meant to be. Our friends at Valley Bar and Bottle, right on the square in Sonoma,...

After some noodling around in the kitchen, we came up with this dish featuring our fabulous Buckeye Beans (aka Yellow Indian Woman). Is it a stew? It's not a soup. It's just an incredible bowl of beans packed with flavor. The secret is to cook the beans simply and then top...

There is not one single method of cooking beans. At its most basic, you want to simmer the pot until the beans are soft. Soaking can speed up the process and vegetables or stock will make them more flavorful. It's really that simple. There's all kinds of fine tuning and...

In the Rancho Gordo library, we have a well-used copy of the book Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy (Rodale, 2014) by Judith Barrett. It includes a handful of recipes that feature cicerchia, Italy's unique, tooth-shaped legume.  Barrett recommends fresh oyster mushrooms as a substitute for the cardoncelli mushrooms that...

Lentils cook very quickly so you don’t have to make a huge batch and then figure out what to do with them. Unsoaked, they cook in about 20 minutes! That’s hard to beat. Obviously, they thrive in hot dishes like soups and stews, but a favorite winter salad has been a...

This recipe is very flexible, so feel free to adjust it based on your tastes and what’s in your kitchen. Once you find your perfect bean marinade, you’ll be set! These beans make an unexpected but welcome addition to an appetizer spread. You can also toss them with sturdy greens...

This salsa is similar to a relish. I add a healthy plop to a bowl of good beans and call it a meal. The photo features Ayocote Morado, but any bean would love the company. 6 to 10 pieces of Rancho Gordo plain xoconostle, soaked for 6 hours in water,...