Student Food - Beans

More than Magical

Gerard, the famous herballist of medieval times said of kidney beans...

The fruit and cods of Kidney Beanes boiled together before they be ripe, and buttered, and so eaten with their cods, are exceeding delicate meat, and do not ingender winde as the other Pulses doe.

Part of your college education should be to learn that 'beans are good food'. Civilizations are founded on them. Our bodies thrive on them. And they cost next to nothing.

Like peas, beans are simple to cook and nothing beats a white bean soup on a cold, winter night.

One thing you must know about cooking beans is that you must NOT add salt to the water before the beans are cooked and tender.

Adding salt makes the beans hard, crunchy and yucky. I didn't know this when I made a bean chili for my sweet hunk and even though he crunched his way through it - out of sheer love -- my brother came along later, took one bite, and while spitting and wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve, said, "This stuff isn't fit for dog food!"

oops!