The Savory World of Beans

I don’t write about my husband much, but this is a story I just had to share. You just can’t make this stuff up. 

Some background: my husband is a really good cook. He is passionate about food and the art of cooking. He especially loves to discover different genres of foods. He went through a pasta phase, many chocolate phases, French cooking phases and anything with preserved lemon he loves. He’s delighted by new discoveries of taste; and can become, shall we say, a bit fixated.

Lately, it’s all about beans.

My husband was in the produce department of our local grocery store. Specifically, he was putting some fresh thyme in his basket. 

“What are you gonna to do with that thyme?” he heard from a nearby woman that might have been a bit too much in his personal space overlooking his grocery cart contents. 

“Well,” he said, “I’m going to make beans.” 

“Really,” she said, “I’ve heard beans are really good for you.” 

My husband replied, (as he says to many people these days when he talks about beans) “Dried beans can change your life.” 

The woman in the produce section looked puzzled. 

“Dried beans, really?”

Oh goodness, my husband thought. Because he loves beans so much, he proceeded to bring the thyme-curious stranger to the dried bean aisle so he could share his enthusiasm about dried beans. Not just any dried beans, but Heirloom dried beans. I can only image how frequent the word “savory” was spoken. I know him quite well.

“Just cover them with water in a pot with some thyme and add a bit of salt. Simmer for a few hours and, just like that: a bowl deliciousness will change your life.” 

“But what about legumes?” the woman asked. Oh geez, my husband thought. This will not be a quick grocery store trip. They talked for a while about the difference between beans and legumes. (Like, who has this conversation with a stranger in a grocery store?) Having felt like the makeshift cooking class was over, my husband moved on to tackle the rest of his grocery list.

Then, in the coffee isle, the woman finds him again.

“Do you know anything about ancient grains?” she asked. Clearly, she was in a food life crisis and needed some direction. 

So, my husband and his new best friend made their way back to the bean aisle which is also where all grains (including the ancient ones) live. For a few moments worth of bean simmering, they got lost talking about the benefits of eating beans and rice. They shared their wish to move away from eating meat so much meat. Beans, they discussed, offered a vast possibility for culinary delights, and are really healthy. They even went on to talk about farro. I’ll spare you. Farro is for another time.

My husband came home with a grocery bag full of dried bean packages and extra thyme. He immediately told me the story of his grocery run, and to be perfectly honest, I was relieved.  Having someone else to talk to about beans, is, quite frankly, a relief. There’s only so much bean talk I can take. The good news is I haven’t cooked for weeks. The bad news is I haven’t cooked for weeks. I’ve learned more about bean variants than I could’ve ever imagined. Lima, lentil, kidney and black; all rich in savory taste. Oh, and by the way, did you know there is such a thing as Christmas beans? 

I’ll stop there. Don’t tell my husband, but I’m ready for some coconut cream pie with a side of wings.