When Zach was growing up, his grandmother's signature dish was pinto beans and cornbread. EVERY time we go to Guntersville, we know there will always be a heaping of pinto beans and cornbread waiting for us. Sometimes, out of nowhere, Zach will talk about his Granny's pinto beans. Zach eats his beans in the most bizarre way: He crumbles up the cornbread, pours the beans on top, and then sprinkles them with sugar and eats them that way. To say that Zach is obsessed with his Granny's beans would be an understatement.
I, being the frugal person that I am, actually love this about Zach. For $2.00, I can buy enough pinto beans to feed our family for weeks. BUT- here's the problem. I LOVE white beans. When I say love, I mean LOVE. I could eat them for days. And once they're smothered in sugar and cornbread, I'm sure you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
So, here we are, faced with the Battle of the Beans.
On Sunday, I bought enough white beans for an entire meal. My plan was to serve them to Zach as if they were pinto beans, and maybe he wouldn't notice. After he kept talking about our upcoming "pinto bean" meal, I started to feel a bit convicted. Last night we were laying in bed and our conversation went something like this....
Zach: When are we going to have those pintos?
Me: Probably Thursday night
Zach: Cool! (With a smile)
Me: (Hesitation)... except don't get upset when you notice the pinto beans are actually Great Northern Beans.
Zach: WHAT??
Me: But they'll taste similar... in fact, I think you may actually like these more.
Zach: Great Northern?? I'm from Alabama! I'm going to have to make a phone call about that.
Maybe you had to be there, or maybe it was just really late and we were exhausted from a long, stressful few days- but we laughed for about 30 minutes. But in all seriousness- Zach HATES refried beans in Mexican restaurants, but LOVES pinto beans. Nothing about that makes sense!! So, Zach, as we continue the battle of the beans, here's what I found on the two:
PINTO (Pink) is the staple of Mexican cooking, and is a pinkish-mauve color that turns brownish when cooked. Some variations are mottled. Pintos look like brown medium ovals. Cooking times vary from 1 to 2 hours depending on size. The favored bean for whole or refried beans in burritos and tacos.
GREAT NORTHERN beans are another relative of the haricot bean (white bean) family but larger than navy beans yet offer a similar mild white bean taste that is great in soups and stews and in the classic French dish, cassoulet. They cook quickly, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Can I get a vote??? Pintos v. White???
I, being the frugal person that I am, actually love this about Zach. For $2.00, I can buy enough pinto beans to feed our family for weeks. BUT- here's the problem. I LOVE white beans. When I say love, I mean LOVE. I could eat them for days. And once they're smothered in sugar and cornbread, I'm sure you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
So, here we are, faced with the Battle of the Beans.
On Sunday, I bought enough white beans for an entire meal. My plan was to serve them to Zach as if they were pinto beans, and maybe he wouldn't notice. After he kept talking about our upcoming "pinto bean" meal, I started to feel a bit convicted. Last night we were laying in bed and our conversation went something like this....
Zach: When are we going to have those pintos?
Me: Probably Thursday night
Zach: Cool! (With a smile)
Me: (Hesitation)... except don't get upset when you notice the pinto beans are actually Great Northern Beans.
Zach: WHAT??
Me: But they'll taste similar... in fact, I think you may actually like these more.
Zach: Great Northern?? I'm from Alabama! I'm going to have to make a phone call about that.
Maybe you had to be there, or maybe it was just really late and we were exhausted from a long, stressful few days- but we laughed for about 30 minutes. But in all seriousness- Zach HATES refried beans in Mexican restaurants, but LOVES pinto beans. Nothing about that makes sense!! So, Zach, as we continue the battle of the beans, here's what I found on the two:
PINTO (Pink) is the staple of Mexican cooking, and is a pinkish-mauve color that turns brownish when cooked. Some variations are mottled. Pintos look like brown medium ovals. Cooking times vary from 1 to 2 hours depending on size. The favored bean for whole or refried beans in burritos and tacos.
GREAT NORTHERN beans are another relative of the haricot bean (white bean) family but larger than navy beans yet offer a similar mild white bean taste that is great in soups and stews and in the classic French dish, cassoulet. They cook quickly, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Can I get a vote??? Pintos v. White???
11 comments:
My family is from Huntsville, AL, Gunterville's high class neighbor. :) We eat white beans on cornbread. You do have to cook the beans with a ham bone to get really good flavor (You can then give the ham bone to a dog.) Some people in my family put ketchup on them, but I normally don't. Mmm, Maybe I'll get a ham to cook this weekend so that I'll have a leftover ham bone for some beans!
Can you post a recipe for both?? I'll try them and let you know :)
Yikes. I can see how his comment about making a phone call was hilarious. Can't you make both in the same dish?
P.S. Your dish with both beans could be symbolic of the two of you coming together. te he he!!!
Well, this sounds like a discussion my Zach and I would have...hmm, for me personally, I prefer the white/navy beans. I'm not sure how you prepare them, but my family does it like Laura'a with a ham bone and maybe some ham pieces in with the beans. Yum, my mom hasn't fixed that dish in a while and just might have to make a phone call....or you can have me over when you fix your white beans.
White is definitely the superior bean. However, if you’re throwing in some Cajun or southern spices, the pinto bean is the better match.
I also agree with the previous commenter that mixing beans is always exciting – literally and metaphorically. :)
I wish I could have observed that conversation. You guys are hilarious.
Just reading this makes me laugh! I love pinto's bring it on momma!
I cook the white beans with ham... and so does his grandmother (with the pintos). So far, I think white beans are the obvious choice. Sorry, honey!
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Well, I'm gonna have to show some love for Zach! White beans get too mushy. Pinto beans rock!! They both have very distinct flavors. Here in Henry County they are called soup beans. You must serve them with onion, corn bread, slaw and if it's summer, tomotoes. Yummie!!
I vote for neither. But if you throw some baked beans in with some barbecue sauce, I'd go for that.
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