Rancho Gordo: Experiments from my mostly New World kitchen and gardens

Sea Salt from the Yucatan

In April of 2011 I made my way down to the Yucatan with my friends Yunuen and Gabriel. The goal was to eat well, relax, get a tan and drink beer on the beach but inevitably we were drawn to the mercados and eventually to the salt marshes. 

The locals have been collecting the salt in the same way for generations. 

There were a few collectives in different parts of the coast but we found a group of women who seemed to do the best job and we've now imported salt from them. 

I asked Yunuen if you were supposed to crush the salt in a salt grinder and she just laughed. No one in Mexico uses a salt grinder! You just throw an appropriate size chunk of salt into your pot and it dissolves quickly. This isn't intuitive for those of us who like precise measures but I've been using it for two weeks now and I haven't over-salted anything. 

A small bowl of the stuff looks pretty cool around the stove. That never hurts!

Sal de Mar at Rancho Gordo. 

A Delicious Substitute for Runner Cannellini

Crop failure has made our lives miserable here. People try and be understanding but they want what they want and we wish we could help. Nature has its own plans!

Runner Cannellini are in the ground, doing well and we hope we have a bumper crop. In the meantime, we can offer this delicious Ayocote Blanco as an alternate. It would be great in a cassoulet or a thick white bean and bacon soup. It's very much like the beloved Runnier Cannellini but it has a thinner skin (making it less desirable for salads) and it has a slight new potato flavor and texture. 

As for the Runner Cannellini (and Yellow Indian Woman, for that matter), they're still in the ground and we've yet to know when they'll be back. 

Garbanzos with Smoked Ham

Someone else made this recently. Just looking at it makes me hungry again. 

Poached Eggs on Black Beans

Simple perfection. It lacks nothing, not even bacon or hot sauce. 

Two poached eggs (from my henhouse this morning) over Midnight beans. As they break, they create a sauce that mingles with the bean broth and it's going to be a good day. 

 

Rancho Gordo Visits Google

In the early days of Rancho Gordo, we received a call from the Google kitchens. Google happily feeds all of its employees with incredible food via many cafes and restautants on the Google campus. We've been sending them heirloom beans for many years now. 

Yesterday I drove with Molly and Julio from Napa to Mountain View to participate in their Top of the Crops day where we met with the chefs, showcased our products and answered questions. 

It was a lot of fun meeting the chefs and the other vendors. We were able to give them a sneak preview of one of our new, upcoming products and it seemed to knock their socks off. We'll let you know more about it soon but needless to say, I was really pleased by the reaction. 

We left Mountain View at 4:20 p.m. which was perfect for hitting all kinds of rush hour traffic and even being able to use the carpool lanes when we had them, we didn't roll into Napa until 7 p.m. Thank goodness for my car stereo and Lila Downs. 

 

Scrambled Eggs with Some Refried Beans

Sometimes I think this blog should be called Cooking with Beans and Eggs. Having six chickens, I tend to eat a lot of eggs and owning Rancho Gordo, beans are a natural fit, so I have lots of opinions and ideas about beans and eggs. 

If you find you have just a few beans left from your pot, you can mash them and then add them to scrambled eggs. The result is delicious and your eggs stay very moist. All the protein won't hurt, either. 

A Quick Thought on Cooking Bitter Greens

Still speaking of greens and clay pots and all the rest, I wanted to add that I like to take a green like dandelions and run my finger up the stalk, removing the hard stem. It normally will break off where the stem is still tender. Most people throw the stiff stalks away but I like to saute them for a long time with the onions and garlic, before adding the leaves. 

Here's my pot in action last night. I added someleftover Lila beans and ate it in a tortilla, making an untraditional but swell taco. 

Cooking with Clay No. 13: A Cazuela from Rancho de la Virgen in Oaxaca

I wrote about this pot when I had just returned from a trip to Oaxaca last year. The potters come from Rancho de la Virgen, near the city of Pinotepa Nacional, not too far from the border of Guerrero. 

This pot in particular has become a favorite. I don't know exactly why, but I've declared it my quelites pot. Quelites can be described as edible greens but mostly they refer to lamb's quarters. Technically, purslane and spinach would be quelites as well. I use this pot for everything from swiss chard to dandelion greens. 

My way with greens:
Normally I use chard as it's always available, cheap and delicious.
I start the pan on low and let it heat through, about five minutes. Then I add olive oil (most Mexicans would disagree but I love it, especially with vegetables), chopped white onions, a clove or two of garlic and a minced serranos, seeds included. I saute these until soft. If I have a good but not great tomato, I'll chop that up and add it as well. (Great tomatoes are for salad in my house.) Don't forget the salt. 

Once the base (is this a type of sofrito?) is cooked, I add the very roughly chopped, wet greens. They always start out high and seems too big for the pot but as they cook down, they fit just right. Chard cooks quickly and takes just minutes. Kale takes a little longer. I like some texture and dislike when they've cooked to a slimy mess. 
It's not traditional, but this mass tastes great stuffed into an excellent corn tortilla. It you're feeling a little needy, add some fresh mozerella or Oaxacan cheese but it's really not needed.  

The pot is very light (especially in comparison to chamba or the great pots we import from Los Reyes Metzontla) which means it's more fragile but it heats up faster. Rancho de la Virgen is known for it's well-made pots, made without kilns. This is a coastal style of pottery and I'm just itching to get some more. 

Books I Like: Street Food of Mexico and La Cocina Mexicana

I have a scary number of Mexican cookbooks. And there are a scary number of books out there celebrating, documenting, glorifying and sometimes unintentionally misinforming. If you're really interested, there are many books in Spanish which isn't as intimidating as it sounds. The kitchen vocabulary is pretty consistent and instructions tend to be vague, but the inspiration is priceless! 

I'm going to tell you what I think, both positive and negative, about some of the books in my collection. 

Hugo Ortega's Street Food of Mexico by Hugo Ortega with Ruben Ortega. 
Bright Sky Press

I had a chance to eat at Hugo's, Ortega's restaurant in Houston, and he really knows what he's doing. It's a nice, comfortable place with killer food, good music and I can't wait to go back. His book is about street food but so much of Mexican street food is a replica of what's cooked in the home, that the limitation seems a little silly. And since the food is so regional, it would take a monster volume to cover the subject. But I really like this book for many reasons. Hugo is a great recipe writer. His instructions are straightforward and it's easy to imagine what the end result will be. He covers a lot of territory that others have done already but his non-nonsense style will be refreshing for a lot of us. Another reason to love the book is the participation of photographer Penny de los Santos. The matte-finished photos are colorful, a little gritty and never patronizing.

La Cocina Mexicana: Many Cultures, One Cuisine by Marilyn Tausend with Ricardo Muñoz Zurita
University of Texas Press

Marilyn has been giving tours to Mexico for years and writes good cookbooks. The theme of this one is Many Cultures, One Cuisine and in her introduction she makes a case for all the influences that make up La Cocina Mexicana. I'm not so sure the theme is all that cohesive or that the recipes go on to support this but they are great recipes and it's great discovering Marilyn's Mexico, which is somewhat different than My Mexico and I'm sure Your Mexico. Like Oretga's Street Food book, some of the dishes and recipes will be too familiar but there are lots of gems and obscurities that make the book worthwhile. Marilyn's stories are great and often helpful in conceptualizing the dish.  

Ham and Yellow Eye Soup

Part of the fun of my job is meeting chefs and seeing what they do 
with my children once they leave my custody. Chef Jason Green of 
Albequerque's Grove Cafe and Market twittered about his new soup 
creation and I asked if he's share the recipe with us. Normally getting 
recipes out of well-meaning chefs is like trying to lose weight in
Bologna (as in it ain't gonna happen despite the best of intentions) 
but Chef Greene is a rule breaker and I'm passing on his recipe to you. 





 
Ham & Yellow Eye Soup
Serves 4-6

1#          Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye Beans 
(soaked as recommend)
3            Chile de Arbols
1#          Mustard Greens
1 C         White Wine
4            Cloves Garlic (chopped)
1/2 C      Carrots (Medium diced)
1/2 C      Onion (Small diced)
1/2 C      Celery (Medium diced)
1 T         Spanish smoked paprika
3            Thyme sprigs fresh thyme
1.5 C      Fresh chopped tomatoes
1            Smoked Ham Hock ( Benton's preferably)
6 C         Chicken Stock (plus more if needed...)
S & P
Hot Sauce

1. After beans have soaked drain & set aside.
2. In large pot add a few tablespoons oil to pan and heat on 
medium heat.
3. After oil is hot add garlic to pan and cook one minute just 
before it browns. Then add celery, onion, chile, thyme, salt and 
cook until translucent.
4. Add wine to deglaze and cook until reduced by half.
5. Add ham hock and drained beans.
6. Add chicken stock, smoked paprika and chopped tomatoes.
7. Bring to a boil then simmer until beans are almost done... 
1 hour or so.
8. 15 minutes before beans are done add chopped carrots 
and mustard greens and cook  until carrots are done.
9. Add more chicken stock if needed through cooking process.
10. After beans have cooked, remove ham hock and take the 
meat off the bone then add it back to soup.
11. Season with salt, pepper and your favorite hot sauce. 

Courtesy of Jason Greene, The Grove Cafe & Market

Chilate de Pollo

This last weekend it seemed time to use my few costeño chiles from Oaxaca and I made Chilate de Pollo from Diana Kennedy's seminal Oaxaca al Gusto. Despite being beautiful, it's actually a very functional cookbook. 

This dish is basically a chile-epazote sauce thickened with masa. Elsewhere in Mexico, it isn't thickened and is more like a soup. If you like epazote, you will love this dish. 

Canela: Mexican Soft Cinnamon

Why bother with Mexican cinnamon? It's really very different. The bark you get in most spice jars is cassia and it's very astringent and sharp. Canela is mellower and earthy. You can use it for sweet things but also savory.

One great thing to do is to steep it in your milk while you heat it, waiting for your coffee. I use an Italian moka pot (after a few attempts at very, very expensive espresso machines that seem to break like FIATs) and I'm in love with this combination. The only other thing I need in the mornings is our piloncillo, because, as the Italians say, Life is too bitter not to take sugar in the coffee.

Banana Vinegar: An Incredible Bath for Good Tomatoes

A lot of people are intrigued by our banana vinegar but are at a loss on how to use it. I use it like I would any good vinegar but I'm pretty fast and loose with the rules.

This salad was slmply sliced heirloon tomatoes, doused with banana vinegar. I added some Oregano Indio and chunks of panela cheese (but any simple farmers cheese will do.) At the end just a few drizzles of my best, insanely expensive olive oil and sea salt. It couldn't be easier or more delicious.

 

California Beanfield Report

This might be your dinner one day soon! The beanfields here in California are doing very well this year and we're crossing our fingers for a huge, healthy crop.

If we run short of Scarlet Runners, you can point to this photo and blame me.

The Scarlet runner has the prettiest flowers of any bean.

These are Vallartas. If you can see, the flowers are purple.

Remember, bean flowers are edible. You can even  plant beans now just for eating the flowers. The runner beans (ayocotes) are the best.

Spanish for Beginners

If you work here at Rancho Gordo, one of the perks is free Spanish lessons. Taught by our own Julio Soriano, this week's lesson is particularly grand. Find a friend and practice this dialogue until memorized. Your Spanish may still be weak but I'll sure be pleased!

(San Pascual is the patron saint of kitchens!)

 

Cecilia: Tengo hambre.Deberíamos cenar juntos.

 Jorge. Yo también tengo hambre. ¿Y tú, Citlali, quieres algo de comer?

 Citlali: ¡Me muero de hambre! Se me antoja cenar comida china.

 Cecilia: A mi se me antojan unas enchiladas de mole verde, con frijoles refritos.

 Jorge: Entonces vamos a cenar juntos. El restaurante Don Perico sirve enchiladas verdes.

 Cecilia: ¡Esperen! ¡Tengo una idea! ¿Por que no cenamos juntos en mi casa? Podemos ir a Rancho Gordo y compramos frijoles y tortillas de maíz criollo.

 Citlali: ¡Me encantan los frijoles de Rancho Gordo! Son deliciosos, y las tortillas son de nixtamal con maíz amarillo y azul.

 Jorge: Citlali, leí un artículo en el periódico sobre los frijoles de Rancho Gordo. ¿Dónde está la tienda?

 Citlali: La tienda Rancho Gordo es muy conocida. Hay artículos sobre sus productos en muchos periódicos. La tienda está aquí, en Napa, en la calle Yajome, cerca de la escuela New Tech High.

 Cecilia: ¿Pero no es muy tarde para cocinar? Ya son las cuatro de la tarde. No tenemos tiempo para remojar y hervir los frijoles.

 Citlali: No te preocupes Cecilia. Los frijoles de Rancho Gordo son muy frescos. No es necesario remojarlos. Los podemos cocinar sin remojar.

 Jorge: Se me antojan unos frijoles negros. ¡Vamos a Rancho Gordo a comprar frijoles!

 Cecilia:¡Vámonos! Hoy cierran a las cinco y media. Los invito a mi casa. Mi cocina es grande y cómoda. ¡Nos vamos a diverter mucho!

 Jorge y Citlali: ¡Gracias Cecilia!

Beans from Ecuador

Wine Forest's Connie Green recently spent some time in Ecuador and was kind enough to bring me back the beans she found there. She admitted that it wasn't a great bean culture, like Mexico or Peru, but I think these look pretty great.

This one was called Cargabello, and very similar to a Colombian Cargamanto, maybe with a little cranberry mixed in.

Also intersting were these round Bolon Rojos.
Any Ecuadorians want to chime in?

MesAmerica: Four Days Incredible Days in Mexico

photo ©Docsconz.com

Although it's a little like taking coals to Newcastle, I just got back from Mexico City where I told our story to 500 food visionaries and thousands of culinary students. I loved every minute of it and saw most of the other presentations.

The Mexicans were very sympathetic and of course my having my lovely business partner, Yunuen, on hand didn't hurt things. We talked about how I got started with Rancho Gordo in Napa, the significance of having Thomas Keller on our side, the flavor profiles of the different varieties and finally how we came together to create the Rancho Gordo- Xoxoc Project which helps us get great beans and created new markets for heirloom varieties of new world products.

photo ©Docsconz.com

We were treated like rock stars and a fellow could get used to this kind of attention. Speaking of stars, the other presenters included Diana Kennedy, Christopher Kostow, Brooks Headley, Roberto Solis, Monica Patiño, Alex Stupak, Glora Lopez Morales, Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, Alicia Gironella De'Angeli and Alberto Adria. If any of these names are unfamiliar to you, believe me, they're food superstars and I was very lucky to present among them.

Javier Plascencia of Mision 19 in Baja is often confused with me because we are both so guapo. He happens to be an incredible chef and a good guy. He'll be cooking our beans as part of the San Francisco Street Food Festival later in the month.

Nicos restaurant has been turned into a standard of traditional Mexican cusine thanks to the ever fashionable Gerardo Vasquez Lupo. He's fun, too!

One of the highlghts for me was Daniel Ovadia (from Paxia) and staff as they asked for a better Mexico. Each employee wrote a sentence for un Mexico mejor and the poem was read as Daniel created a dish that first represented a gun and blood and was transformed by a white mole de novia, much as they wish Mexico might be transformed. It was a lofty concept but unnervingly moving.

Pal and Mushroom Maven Connie Green made us all hungry with her presentation.

How big can my head get? Just asking!

Rick Bayless, one of my heroes and I bet yours, too, presented a compelling argument about authenticity and made some delicious food as well. You could hear a pin drop during his presentation.

photo ©Docsconz.com

Yunuen was late and it was moments before the presentation so we were set up to use a translator. My Spanish is "fun" at best but right before I went on, she arrived and they mic'd us both up and shoved us on stage. We hadn't spoken since I arrived in Mexico and I guess I forgot to tell her she'd be doing the translating. What a trooper!

I have more thoughts on the conference, the presentations and the revolution in Mexican food but for now I wanted you to see these photos and say hi. I think I need to cook and relax at home after such an intense, great week.

 

 

Roasting Fresh Green Chiles

Roasting chiles is a very typical part of cooking Mexican food. A lot of recipes will call for chiles roasted and peeled, assuming this is part of your repertoire. If you have a gas range, you can char them directly on a burner. I'm a somewhat forgetful cook and the results can be nasty if you're not paying attention.

Cristina at Mexico Cooks! likes to use a preheated cast iron skillet. I think this is a fine idea but pre-heating adds to the time so I prefer to use a plain old comal.

I turn the chiles as they char, not worrying too much about all the missed nooks and crannies.

After the chiles has been roasted on all sides, it's time to bring out the Big Guns. The Bernzamatic torch was cheap and the bottles of gas are easy to find. Using tongs, I place each chile in the path of the fire and really go to town, leaving each inch of pepper skin charred and black. It's fun, I have to admit.

Most recipes will tell you to put the charred chiles in a plastic bag to "sweat" them and make the peels slide off but I have a weird feeling about hot chiles in plastic bags so I prefer to sweat them in a paper bag or in a large bowl with a plate covering it. Remember, this is a feeling, not a fact, so so as you like.

After letting the chiles rest for about 20 minutes, you can take them out and the skins should just slide off. Sometimes they're a little stubborn and you can use a knife to scrape them. A few bits of charred skin are nice so you don't have to be obsessive about it.

The chiles are juicy so I like to hold them over a bowl and squeeze a bit and let all that chile love ooze out. I've seen some chefs rinse the chile under the tap but it strikes me that some of the flavor is going right down the sink.

So pull out the insides, scrape the outsides and you have a beautiful roasted chile.

Discard the seeds and skins.

Now you can fry strips of the chile in oil with garlic and onion rings. If you are careful and leave the chile whole, you can cut a slit in the side and clean it out as best you can and then fill it with gorgeous things like cheese or shrimp. You can also make a fine soup by blending the chiles with chicken stock.

Please note that many of Rick Bayless' recipes have you broil them in an oven and Mexican chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita deep-fries his when he has hundreds to do. I find the very best chiles come from the grill when the coals are on their last legs.

 

Lazy Breakfast at Rancho Gordo

I posted this photo on our Facebook page and it got a huge response so I think I'll add it here as well. This was making breakfast on Sunday morning for me and my 14 year old son.

Left to right, it's a pot of previously cooked beans and nopales, straight from the henhouse fresg eggs (mine with Oregano Indio, thank you!), heirloom corn tortillas (Rancho Gordo brand, natch), a pot of espresso and hot milk for the espresso, with a piece of canela infusing it's goodness, along with a few spoonfuls of piloncillo.

The 1950s Wedgewood stove is a thing of beauty and there's a whole network of fanatics so finding parts is relatively easy.

The night before I had roasted a manzano pepper (also known as Peron), a large tomato, some thick onion slices, and three cloves of garlic on a clay comal, but you could also use a metal comal or cast iron skillet. I blended these with a little salt and 1/2 a cup of water and then fried the sauce in a few spoonfuls of olive oil. It was finished off with some Oregano Indio. It was incredibly hot.

Remember if you're using one of these peppers, the black seeds aren't edible and you should either plant a pepper bush or throw them out.

Beans (brown teparies), nopales and some of the searingly hot but delicious salsa.

Sweet Corn and Fresh Oregano Fritters

We had a great little party here at the Rancho Gordo store in celebration of the new book by Georgeanne Brennan and Ann M Evans, The Davis Farmers Market Cookbook. The women made fritters from fresh corn and it was only moments before they were devoured.

Along with Georgeanne and Ann, we had tastes from St Supery winery. Their 2011 Estate Savignon Blanc seemed made to be served with the fritters. They also sampled their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon which I seemed to enjoy just a little too much, if you know what I mean.

Here's the recipe for the fritters, followed by the winemaker's notes on the sauvignon blanc.

Sweet Corn and Fresh Oregano Fritters.

Makes 12 to 16 fritters; serves 4 to 6.

4 ears white or yellow corn, husks and silk removed

1/4 yellow onion

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Coarse sea or kosher salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

1 egg, lightly beaten

Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Crème fraîche for serving (optional)

Hold an ear of corn, tip down, in a large, wide bowl and, using a sharp knife, cut straight down between the kernels and the cob, cutting as close to the cob as possible without including the fibrous base of the kernels, rotating the ear about a quarter turn after each cut. Repeat with the remaining ears.

Using the coarse holes on a box grater, grate the onion. Using your hand, squeeze the onion as dry as you can and then add it to the corn.

Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the oregano over the corn and onion and mix well. Add the egg and again mix well.

Pour the olive oil to a depth of a scant 1/4 inch into a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, form each fritter by dropping the corn mixture by the heaping teaspoon into the hot oil, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Press down gently with the back of a spatula and fry until golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes. Turn and fry the second side, about 1 minute.

Using a slotted spatula or slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Cook the remaining fritters the same way, adding more oil if needed and reducing the heat if necessary to avoid scorching.

Arrange the fritters on a warmed platter and sprinkle with salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon oregano. Top each fritter with a small dollop of crème fraîche, if desired. Serve immediately.

Winemaker's Notes on the St Supery Savignon Blanc:

This Sauvignon Blanc presents a brilliant shade of pale yellow
speared by youthful streaks of green. The vintage of 2011
provided generous grapefruit aromas coupled with green lime,
kiwi and a subtle zest of caper. Flavors are rich with
grapefruit, guava and a lemon zest citrus combination. The
wine is rich, vibrant and generous, yet elegant with a terrific
crisp finish. Enjoy!

Growing Season:
The year started with very cold conditions and high rainfall.
It is said to be the 4th highest rainfall winter in 40 years.
Spring moved temperatures up into the 70’s, with late May
bringing more rain. June commenced with significant
rainfall during flowering, reducing crops a little. The summer
provided good sunshine, yet was cooler than most. Late
August and September were warm and encouraged good
ripening. While the Sauvignon Blanc harvest commenced
late, it was short and compact, finishing by the end of
September. Overall, a cool season that provided intense rich
Sauvignon Blanc.

Winemaking:
After achieving the desired flavors on the vine, the Sauvignon
Blanc was harvested in the cool morning hours to preserve
delicate flavors. The fruit was received in the cellar, where
grapes were pressed to tank and immediately chilled and
settled prior to fermentation. All fermentation was completed
in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures to maintain and
enhance the natural flavors. The final blend was completed
soon after to capture the lovely fresh qualities and intensity
of flavor of the Sauvignon Blanc.

More information on the cookbook.
More information on St Supery wines.

Epazote in the Bay Area

I've known Dan Lehrer for almost 10 years. First at the Marin County Farmers Market on Sundays and later at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays. Do you have friends you really like that you don't know well? Dan is one of my favorite people and in addition to growing great apples, he has some beautiful, reasonably-priced plants he brings to the markets.

 

In addition to having great taste in obscure R&B music, Dan is interested in what we're doing at Rancho Gordo. I asked him about growing epazote and this year he has lots of plants for sale. The dried variety is petty nasty if you ask me, but the fresh is versatile and essential to any New World garden. It makes beans tastier and I still dream about an octopus dish I had at El Cardenal in Mexico City, simply grilled and then washed in olive oil and chopped epazote.

I'm told it can be invasive so best to start it out in a pot. I have an old plant that does die back each winter and comes back each spring. I suspect the plant bolted and the seeds are what's coming back but I'm not sure. It is a weed so it needs very little care from you.

Occasionally you see bunches of it in Mexican grocery stores but if you're serious about Mexican food, you'll want a plant of your own.

Be sure and experiment with wild mushrooms and epazote and a simple quesadilla is made into something grand with a little chopped stinkweed. A little goes a long way but that little is pretty swell.

Here's a previous post on epazote from the blog.

You can visit Dan on Saturdays at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Check his Facebook page for other markets and options.

I Love a Parade

Calistoga, Napa County. July 4th, 2012

 

More Eggs and Beans

I've recently moved and the new place has a hen house. I've missed having fresh eggs but now that's all behind me. I'm hoping I can stick to the six hens I have. Last time it was 17 and a rooster and I was practically throwing the eggs at anyone who would hold still.

This morning I cooked some Mexican fresh sausage and when it was ready, I added some of our De Arbol black beans and heated them through.

I whisked the eggs with our Oregano Indio and then scrambled them on a low heat. I'm really learning that the secret is low and slow, otherwise you get a funky broken up omelet and that's nothing to be proud of.

When the eggs were nearly cooked, I added the sausage/bean mixture and then crumbled some queso fresco over the whole thing.

So what is it about eggs and beans. I love them!
You could easily make this more Italian by using Italian sausage and any farmers cheese. I'll stick with my version and a good heirloom corn tortilla.

Charro Beans with Scrambled Eggs

Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys used to sing a song called Across the Alley From the Alamo and I was humming it all last week as I made my way from San Antonio to Houston. Oddly, none of the guides at the Alamo knew of this tune and it's another shocking sign the our culture is going to hell in a handbag.

There were many highlights to the trip, and after barbecue in Luling, I think my favorite was my friend Wade's delicious charro beans. We had them all over the state and I noticed the hipper folks always asked to sub the ubiquitous re-fried beans (which generally were excellent as well) with charros.

Wade made them by cooking up a bunch of bacon and when it was almost cooked, he added beans and water. He didn't drain the fat. I think I would but who am I to say? After the beans were cooked he added tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro and other good things. They were great.

The next morning, I made eggs for the whole family but I added them to the leftover charro beans. I humbly will suggest they went nuts for them. I just added eggs but you'd think I had done the actual cooking. The beans were the star of the dish.

A note on tortillas: In general, I love corn. In Texas, they mostly eat wheat. I was turning my nose up at them until I ate one. Texas wheat tortillas are generally excellent. I also had many corn tortillas but in general I don't think they are as excellent, although no doubt certain brands are better than others.

Don't Forget the Sangrita

Yes, yes, I know. Many sangritas are not tomato based. It might even be true that the best ones have no tomatoes. I once told some fellow gringo travelers how I was planning on making a sangrita from the "mature" tomatoes I didn't sell at the farmers market and they looked at me in horror: Sangrita has no tomatoes! Of course, every sangrita I had after that was tomato-based. And delicious.

On Sunday I had friends over and with Sunday being Sunday, I was running late. No time to make an authentic or unauthentic sangrita! So I cheated and took a 2 quart jar of tomato juice and added an entire bottle of Rio Fuego Very Hot Sauce, and the juice of one lime and mixed it together and served it as sangrita with our tequila shots. I'll be honest, it couldn't have been better, but next time I may try adding the juice of an orange as well.

For a smokier drink, try our Felicidad sauce. For a flavorful but mild drink, use La Paloma.

(Modified from a September 2007 post)