Three delicious new beans have arrived from Hidlago:
This is a dense, creamy bean with a this skin and delicious pot liquor. When raw, they change color depending on the light. I would guess they’re related to the Flor de Mayo but it’s hard to say.
Ayocotes are “runner beans”. In Mexico they’re normally eaten in a chile sauce, as a regional favorite.In Europe, you’re likely to find them in a salad tossed with fruity olive oil and lemon juice. I find them very meaty and a perfect match for garlic and wild mushrooms. You can replace Scarlet Runners with ayocote. I think their lilac color is incredible.
These cook up to a huge size and it’s our biggest bean at the moment.
These beans are smallish and fudgy dense. The flavor is a little like Yellow Indian Woman but the texture is richer and I think maybe these have a slightly thicker skin. I had these for breakfast this morning with a poached egg and I was pretty happy when I cut into the egg and the yolk escaped and covered the beans with a luxurious sauce. Later, I made very memorable refried beans out of the Vaquitas. Divine!
I’ve wanted to import beans from Mexico for some time but the reality of having these small growers package and prepare shipments and paperwork suitable for the FDA was frustrating. Rancho Gordo has been working with the wonderful company Xoxoc to get these beans into the US. It’s been challenging but I’ve made new friends and hopefully created a market for bean varieties that might never have left Mexico. Modern agriculture and modern politics rarely favor these small growers, with yields too low to be taken seriously by agri-business. These imports are one tiny step in a different direction.
