White tepary beans!!!!!

[Jenise]

Sorry about all the exclamation marks, but I'm so excited about having discovered this bean. Purchased from Rancho Gordo http://www.ranchogordo.com/html/v_beans.htm, after reading that it was a native American bean that had the right kind of texture for cassoulet.

Well, I made a cassoulet yesterday and darn if whoever said that wasn't spot on the mark. It's not just good, it's EXCELLENT, much better in my experience than the usual substitute, Great Northern, which IMO isn't up to the standard set by the traditional French flageolet. The tepary is. The skin/casing does not separate from the bean at all--not one did--and the beans remain firm and develop that perfect sticky texture that makes cassoulet so unique from other bean dishes.

If there's anyone here who's bean crazy but hasn't tried these beans yet, delay no further.

Rancho Gordo also sells traditional French flageolets.

-Paul W.

[Robin Garr]

If there's anyone here who's bean crazy but hasn't tried these beans yet, delay no further.

Well, you talked ME into it! I just put in an order for white teparies, cannellini and flageolets. Can't wait till they get here!

[Jenise]

Robin--did you pore through all the pictures/descriptions? It's a bean paradise. I always struggle not to buy one of everything.

Paul--yes they do. And I bought some the last time I ordered from them, intending to cook the flageolets and the tepary side by side to compare. But I didn't end up doing that, and I have to say that based on my memory of flageolets I would prefer the teparys--they're the small size of great northern but very flat, and that's a great mouthfeel to me.

[Robin Garr]

Robin--did you pore through all the pictures/descriptions? It's a bean paradise. I always struggle not to buy one of everything.

I did indeed, and I wanted to buy them all, too! If it had been winter, I probably would have bought about six or eight rather than three, but I held back because I generally think of a steaming bean pot as winter comfort food.

Assuming I'm happy with delivery and quality, though - and I'm sure I will be - those guys are going on my regular Web shopping circuit.

[Jenise]

You'll definitely be happy. I'd been hearing about these guys for years from Chris, who posts here sometimes, and whom I met and became good friends with on the original Compurserve board. She lives in the Napa area and has been buying from this guy at her Farmers Market for years. As soon as he put up a website, she sent me the address and I've been placing routine orders ever since. Always have kept a pound of beans in the pantry to turn into a soup, just in case--and since Rancho Gordo came into my life, two or three.

[Robin Garr]

You'll definitely be happy.

I can hardly wait!