Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with beans

Help me optimize my Chemex production

arcticseal — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:40:36 -0800

My lust for a Chemex has finally been sated with my birthday this week. Please help me optimise my coffee production from this wonderful piece of apparatus. I'm already loving the output that I'm getting from it and the simplicity of hot water, filter and a carafe. My current production method uses beans, ancient Bodum blade grinder and a kettle. My coffee snob friend is recommending that I purchase a scale to measure out the beans to get the ratio of water and beans correct. I'd like to get a burr grinder, but am reluctant to dispose of a perfectly functional blade grinder while it's still working; does a burr grinder make that much of a difference?

What should I be doing to get the best possible brew?

Bonus points for good online roasters in Canada.
Super bonus points if someone can recommend their favourite travel mug. Mine is decrepit and I'd like to replace it with something like this as I'd prefer to drink out of ceramic rather than plastic but it only comes in a 12 oz. size and I'd prefer a 16 oz. size.

How should I measure dried epazote?

obiwanwasabi — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:39:13 -0800

I have a bag of dried epazote for beans. Two problems. First, it's a mix of coarser, stalky material and leaf matter of varying fineness. Should I run it through a food processor to make it uniform (like, say, dried oregano) before measuring? Second, how much (processed or not) should I use to a pound of beans? I've seen everything from 1 tsp to 2 tbsp. One tsp of coarse would be nothing like 2 tbsp of fine, for example.

What's this tune. March/Guinness edition.

timsteil — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:13:36 -0800

When you tell me the answer, I will likely nut-punch myself for forgetting it. I can play this damned song on the fiddle, yet can't remember it's name. From like :30-1:38 here. And I know the name of the third reel as well. Little help?

Are these beans suitable for canning?

k8lin — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:58:26 -0800

I have a recipe for cold beans soaked in oil and vinegar that I make all the time. Could I can these beans, so that I don't have to prepare them every day? I make a lot of salads, and I like them to be protein-rich. To that end, I mix my dressing -- lemon olive oil, regular olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, fresh garlic, italian herbs, salt, and pepper - along with a can of rinsed giant butter beans. While I assemble the salad, I let the beans soak, and then I pour the beans and the dressing they're soaking in on the top of the salad.

Could I can these beans? Would this make the beans too soppy and gross? It's high-acid, so I assume it would can well. I've never canned before -- would the process mess up my beans somehow?

I've thought about making a big batch of dressing ahead of time, and then just soaking the beans on the go, but something about pulling out a can of beans that is already dressed is really appealing to me.

Thanks!

Bean plating technology for canned beans

SandiBeech — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:07:38 -0800

Before I cook dried beans I sort through them usually finding and discarding a clod of dirt, a small stone, or a moldy bean. I have never found a stone in a can of canned beans. Are the canned bean manufacturers sorting the beans before canning? If they are, why can't they use that technology to clean the beans that are sold dried? The tedious sorting keeps me from cooking beans from scratch as often as I'd like.

I wish my accent was less overeducated, too

curuinor — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 20:17:49 -0800

How to sound less overeducated? I always get yelled at for using five-dollar words when ten-cent ones would do. That is, I am a circuitous, loquacious motherfucker.

I've spoken the term "videlicet" without irony in a conversation before, intending to convey information. I think in terms like "quixotic" and "brobdingnagian", again without irony. My high school English teacher once said that even my syntax is tortuous.

Many of my close friends are overeducated or getting overeducated like I am, but many are not. I would like to have genuine conversations with people of any level of education without speaking down or up or whatever.

When I make a conscious effort to speak without my overgrown vocabulary, I sound like I'm patronizing, at least according to my (ESL) mom. I would like to not sound patronizing, so that route seems murky right now. How do I say things simply without sounding as if I was simple or patronizing?

I literally know nothing about beans...

Chorus — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:51:31 -0800

I literally know nothing about beans... Okay, this is awful. The only beans I know about and have ever eaten are canned beans in tomato sauce (Heinz, Bachelors, what have you). I have them on toast and that is it.

Obviously I know other beans exist: kidney and black eyed, and?

I'm under doctor's orders to work on my cholesterol which recently clocked in at 6.9 and I'm 28 years of age. Beans (and lentils) seem to be this whole, huge food group I've never experienced. (I am not suggesting eating beans will lower cholesterol, I am just looking for ways to eat without aggravating it)

I've seen bags of dried beans in stores, but have zero idea what to do or where to start. I've seen kidney beans in a can - wouldn't these be full of salt, though? Do I just drain and serve? On their own or can I add stuff?

It's so embarrassing, but I really need someone to explain beans to me. Kidneys look white and squishy, can I sub those in for pasta/gnocchi (i.e. hot kidney beans with a tomato sauce? Or is that yuck?]

If you eat beans a lot, please tell me what you do with them, how you integrate them into everyday cooking. I hear 'beans and rice' bandied about a lot as a meal, but always picture Heinz beans mixed with rice...

Meatless. . . mostly?

KathrynT — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:42:21 -0800

What are some good compendia of recipes that contain meat, but are mostly beans or legumes? We're currently living on a lot less money than we used to. I've slashed our grocery budget down to less than half of what it used to be -- go me -- but this means I need to adjust my cooking radically as well. Basically, we're eating a lot more beans, because they are cheap. But we all love the flavor of meat! So I've started cooking a lot of things that have some meat in them, but not too much. I'm talking about beans and rice made with salt pork, or 3-bean chili, or split pea soup with ham, or black beans with cumin and sausage, or cassoulet (minus the duck confit). Think like 4-8 ounces of meat to make 6-8 servings.

I am a pretty good cook with a well-appointed kitchen, and I have access to good, flavorful meat. (We still have some of a grass-fed split side of beef in the freezer, and I make my own sausage and other charcuterie.) I need to keep variety high to keep my family, particularly my hard-working but underemployed husband, from feeling like we're eating the same damn thing again and again and again. What are your favorite recipes or collections of recipes?

Level 10 übervegan

LiteOpera — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:23:18 -0800

Can a man survive eating only black beans and apples? Assume also access to beer and multivitamin tablets. Beans can be cooked, but no spices. Apples may be sliced or peeled, but not cooked or mashed.

So many variations of vanilla...

torisaur — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:59:58 -0800

Ingredient ratio question... I have a recipe for koulourakia (Greek braided cookies), my Greek grandmother's favourite cookie. This recipe calls for 1/2 tsp of vanilla powder which, as far as I can tell, is just ground up dried vanilla beans. I can't find vanilla powder, but I can find vanilla beans. How many vanilla beans should I scrape the insides out of to get the same approximate flavour as 1/2 tsp of vanilla powder?

Best Decaf in Canada?

smilingtiger — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:41:41 -0800

I've recently been forced to switch to decaf because of medical issues (supraventricular tachycardia). I have no interest in giving up coffee completely, and I really enjoy my one cup of decaf per day. I think I'd enjoy it more, though, if I knew I were having the best decaf I could get my hands on. What are the best decaf beans available in Canada? I've seen this question, but shipping on the Peet's, for example, is $23.50/pound. I currently drink Ethical Bean, but their decaf isn't as great as their other roasts and I'm sure I can do better. What should I try?

Help name my Coffee Bean Business

roastermarv — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 07:08:58 -0800

Help name my coffee bean company. I'm very excited about this new venture that I just embarked on. I have all the logistics in place, but I'm still missing a Big piece of the puzzle, the name of the company. My choice for the name was " Una Voce "(one voice), because part of this venture will be to give back to the communities that produce the finest Coffee Beans in the world. These communities still lack some fundamental basics, like clean drinkable water, medical facilities, schooling for both children and adults. I will be funneling back some of the profits to improve the lives of our fellow humans. Two other names that I was thinking about were "One World" or "Human Beans". None of the names I have liked have received positive feedback, so I turn to you. I will keep everyone here posted on my decision and Thanks in Advance.

Do you know where I can find a concise chart of healthy (maybe traditional?) beans/grains/greens combinations?

jenmakes — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 21:41:57 -0800

Do you know where I can find a concise chart of healthy (maybe traditional?) beans/grains/greens combinations? I'm looking for an easy-to-reference chart of nutritionally balanced combinations of beans, grains, and veges. I feel like I have no trouble free-forming the addition of fats and meats to a dish, but the base of the meal is tougher for me. So I want a chart that lists things to have on hand & makes connections between common and healthy combinations. For example, it might list the following items then draw a connection between corn, red beans & squash as being a time-tested and healthy trio:

grains: oats, corn flour, barley
beans: lentils, white beans, red beans
greens/veges: kale, squash, swiss chard

The Jungle Effect was helpful in this regard and there are millions of websites on the subject, but it seems like the base meal info is buried deep in and amongst all the wonderful looking recipes and thread discussions. I'm just looking for the bare essentials here – something I can print out & keep with my shopping list.

Help me make my lunch more delicious.

two lights above the sea — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 07:40:04 -0800

As a pescetarian who is pretty much on the FODMAP diet, what can I eat for lunch? After some (continuing) experimentation, I've figured out that I can't eat a lot of the things on the FODMAP diet. I'm waiting to go back to the doc for a confirmed diagnosis, but she thinks I have IBS. I've found that most dairy products are fine, and I definitely eat avocado still with no issues. Other than that, I'm not eating the rest. Also, as stated above the fold, I only eat fish and no other forms of meat.

Finding good lunches are really making me suffer. Pretty much all I'd ever eat for lunch was a sandwich, maybe some bean soup, or a burrito. I've found that things without beans and especially wheat are a lot harder to buy for lunch. I'd prefer to make lunch at home, but I don't even know where to START! I've never been a huge fan of salad at lunch, so that one is immediately out. Also, I've seen a trillion "save my salads" askmes and we don't need another.

Can you recommend some good lunch-friendly meals with my restrictions? I have access to a fridge, microwave, and toaster oven at work, but due to my schedule, I can't spend a lot of time at work fixing my lunch. I'd be happy making things in advance at home. If you have any good resources other than recipes, that'd be great, too. Thanks!

Bean betrayal. Is it possible?

two lights above the sea — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:58:18 -0800

Beans, beans, they're good for your heart, but the more you eat, the more you fart. Is it true, Metafilter? Within the last year and a half or so, I've been having a lot of intestinal distress in the form of gas, bloating, weird BMs, and overall awfulness. I won't get into too much more detail since this isn't anonymous.

I've been seeing a GI doctor about this, and we've tried a number of things, like blood tests for Celiac and others, special diets, etc. Recently I went on a full-on no dairy + lactaid supplement diet for 5 days (at this point it's actually been 7 days, excepting a dollop of sour cream I had on dinner yesteday.) No change at all. Two days ago, I started taking fiber at night (the kind you mix with water), but I haven't seen improvement yet. I don't think it's gluten, because I can go gluten free easily and it doesn't help at all.

So my question is: could it be beans/legumes? Before this all started, I ate beans about as much as I do now, which is frequently. I am pescetarian, but I eat fish so rarely that most of my protein comes from beans. Beans and rice, chili, burritos, and other Latin and Mexican inspired foods are my favorites and general what I like to eat every day, with some Indian thrown in for good measure. So, most of my dinner meals have black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, or some other kind of bean/legume. Which is why it never occurred to me before! I never had problems in the past, I haven't started eating larger quantities of beans, and my health hasn't changed other than my GI issues.

Have you experienced a random shift in what your body can tolerate? Was it specific to beans? Any information you can provide, whether it is personal experience or Knowledge would help. I'm tired of changing diets and recording everything I eat in a diary and just generally not knowing what's going to make me feel bad.

Thanks!

Calories of Rice And Beans?

Spurious — Sun, 08 May 2011 16:18:14 -0800

How many calories (ballpark) would there be in this bowl of rice and bean?s I am trying to save some money by eating rice and beans for lunch. However, I am also on a diet and having a tough time calculating how many calories there are in the rice and bean meals I am preparing.

I did not take this photo, but it is pretty much exactly like what my rice and bean meals look like: medium bowl of plain black beans, white rice, and tiny bit of onion, and some taco seasoning.

Obviously you'd just be guessing, but how many calories do you think there would be in that photo?

Where online should I buy a French press and burr grinder?

GlassHeart — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 03:36:30 -0800

Where online should I buy a French press and burr grinder? I want to get a French press and burr grinder so I can start drinking "real" coffee (i.e. - coffee that isn't from a tin). Upon getting my French press and grinder I plan to start buying my own beans either online or at a shop in a nearby city.

Questions:

. Are there any accessories, other than a burr grinder and a coffee machine, that I should become in possession of?
. Are there any other types of coffee machines that can brew finer coffee than a French press?
. Should I buy beans online or would beans from almost any supermarket suffice granted they're arabica and are at least semi-fresh?
. Where can I buy high-quality coffee beans online?

I don't think I've ever had coffee that wasn't from a drip machine, and direly want to taste the difference this will make. Lots of true coffee aficionados scoff at you when you tell them you brew pre-ground coffee in a drip machine.

I'll admit that I'm not the biggest fan of coffee, but hopefully this will change once I start brewing high-end coffee with a high-end brewing machine.

Anyway, thanks. I'm excited to read your responses.

*Note - I live in the middle of nowhere in Canada which is why it's preferable that I buy a machine and grinder online.

Favorite Fairway Coffee?

moedym — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:57:19 -0800

What are your favorite Fairway coffee beans? We shop at Fairway regularly, like their coffee but haven't settled into a handful of favorite choices. Opinions?

Advice on my plate of beans...

furiousxgeorge — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:05:48 -0800

Is there any reason to soak beans before cooking them in a slow cooker? I'm not really concerned with cooking time, if I was I wouldn't be using the slow cooker in the first place. I have heard that soaking reduces the gas creating properties of beans, but I feel like slow cooking should do the same thing if I discard the water and rinse the beans when I'm done. There are a ton of opinions on this question online, anyone have anything authoritative?

I probably have several plates of beans. What do I do with them all?

ocherdraco — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:50:31 -0800

I have a bunch of extra cooked kidney beans (I cooked more than I needed for a soup I was making). I estimate I have somewhere between 3 and 5 cups of cooked beans. What should I do with the extra beans? (Besides overthinking them, of course.)

Country comfort in a pot.

availablelight — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 13:21:15 -0800

Country comfort food, non-kosher edition: what are your favorite bean soup/stew recipes for smoked ham hocks or pork neck bones? I got started cooking with smoked pork-on-bone products with this here and it was delicious, but am not so thrilled about using a prepackaged seasoning mix with artificial flavorings for the next one.

What are your favorite soul food/country/ethnic soup or stew recipes that involve flavoring with smoked pork bits on the bone? (I'm more interested in recipes that call for simmering with and then removing these parts, than anything featuring them as a main focus.)

Delicious Non-oily Trader Joe's Coffee?

cairnish — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:28:37 -0800

Delicious Non-oily Trader Joe's Coffee? We use a superautomatic machine and "dry" or at least non-oily beans work best. We use and love Stumptown Hair Bender but think maybe we should at least try something else from time to time. Trader Joe's seems to have a wide variety of whole bean options at reasonable prices, but I can't see into the cans to determine which ones might be appropriate for our use. Can anyone recommend one of the TJ options for being both tasty and relatively "dry" of bean?

I don't need to overthink it, the plate as-is is quite gross.

Wossname — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:21:34 -0800

I want to like beans, but the texture is generally too mushy or mealy. What are some recipes that get around this? The texture of beans ruins chili, rice and beans, and so many other typical bean dishes for me; I'd like to find some bean recipes I can enjoy.

So far, I'm I'm good with making hummus from chick peas and sprouts from mung beans. I want to try roasting chick peas soon. What are some ideas for using beans outside their standard form? This can include other beans that work well pureed, roasted, or as sprouts. Recipes, please!

How do I communicate employment enthusiasm without alienating anyone?

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:55:01 -0800

How do I explain a belated e-mail in a professional context? And how does one write a letter of inquiry to someone who already has the job? Bean-plate overthinking inside. Two months ago, I got in touch with an employer who has a job I really want. This job starts in November (interviews haven't started yet), is pretty far out of my field, but is also really interesting and something I care a lot about; additionally, it's a position where experience is not a hard and fast requirement. Being aware of my relative lack of knowledge, I asked the employer if there were any qualifications I could work on developing in the intevening months that could make me a stronger candidate. They suggested I get in touch with the person who currently holds the job, and said they cc'd him on the e-mail. Thing is, they either used bcc or didn't cc him, so I didn't have his e-mail address, and I've never heard back from him.

I've since done a little scouting and got his e-mail address, and I do want to talk to him more about qualifications for the position. Should I address the two-month gap in the correspondence chain when I e-mail him? Additionally, in an e-mail of this type should I be asking "are you open to talking to me" and setting up a phone call, or should I just launch into the questions? Super extra bonus points for any suggestions anyone has to help me convey my enthusiasm and committment without harassing these potential employers. Thanks!

Anonymous because my real name is linked to my Metaname, and I don't want to confuse things with my current employer. Throwaway e-mail address is topsecretwhatever@gmail.com.

Does great decaf exist?

The Dutchman — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:18:16 -0800

Inspired by this question, anyone have recommendations for great decaf coffee beans?