Beans on toast

[Robin Garr]

I heard about this British dish beans on toast and of course I had to try it. Pretty good! I used some leftover Rancho Gordo alubia blanca beans that I had around, on hot homemade English muffin bread that Mary had just made. Yum! Comfort food!

When I posted this on Facebook I found out that Jenise already knew something about it, and a lot of other friends, too. I'll bet Peter has something to say as well.

Beans-and-toast.jpg

Well, if you want something

Its beans on toast, but it's not Beans on Toast.

Beans on Toast in UK means Heinz Baked Beans on a slice of toasted ordinary bread (sadly all too often sliced white).

I don't know how easy it is to get Heinz BB where you are. I remember years ago US supermarket had a 5 shelves of BB but they all had meat in. The only one we found at all similar was the one marked 'vegetarian'.

I haven't had Heinz BB for a long time now (except on UK hotel breakfast buffets) because I make my own from a can each of Borlotti and Canelloni beans, tin of Italian tomatoes, chopped onion cooked in olive oil with spices (cayenne, cumin, cinnamon) and chopped ginger, cooked for hours in big pan with lid in oven.

Heinz BB now too sweet and too much salt.

It's generally not possible to get the British version of Heinz Baked Beans in the US outside of specialty shops that import it from the UK. As with HP Sauce, Heinz BB over here is a different formulation.

-Paul W.

My father made bean sandwiches; Campbells baked beans, butter, white bread. Not a favorite, but works if you're hungry. I don't think I'd order it in a restaurant.

BTW Robin, I'd much rather have your superior beans on toast.

[Robin Garr]

Heirloom beans and homemade toast, what's not to like? Peter, our consumption of beans over here has multiplied dramatically since I discovered Rancho Gordo. The heirloom beans that they source from California and Mexico aren't cheap - maybe six times the cost of grocery beans - but a pound bag at $6 makes about ten protein-rich servings, so that's hardly extravagant in my eyes.

Heirloom beans and homemade toast, what's not to like? Peter, our consumption of beans over here has multiplied dramatically since I discovered Rancho Gordo. The heirloom beans that they source from California and Mexico aren't cheap - maybe six times the cost of grocery beans - but a pound bag at $6 makes about ten protein-rich servings, so that's hardly extravagant in my eyes.

Indeed. I was lucky to place an order for about 8lbs of beans from Rancho Gordo in early March, right before this pandemic business sent everyone crazy for dried beans. I checked back a few weeks later and they said that overwhelming demand meant they would not be able to ship until the middle of May.

And even though their prices are slightly higher than the grocery store options I see, the quality is infinitely higher, so it's no contest. The various vinegars and other products are also well worth exploring (particularly like the fermented banana vinegar, so much flavor).

[Robin Garr]

Full agreement on all that, Rahsaan. I've been buying from Rancho Gordo for quite a while, and got through the waiting list to the quarterly Bean Club a couple of years ago. Like you, I had just ordered a half-dozen extra bags of alubia blancas just before the pandemic hit. Not hoarding, just an outstanding bean that I wanted plenty of.