Andrea

This is late and the peppers have either been eaten or rotted by now, but my favorite pepper relish recipe is the one inside the liquid Certo Pectin box. In fact, I need to make two batches for Christmas gifts. Sigh . . . it's that time already.

Pm me a mailing address and I'll package then up this weekend.

I've been exploring old threads. I forgot about this recipe! This used to be one of our favorites. Posting it here because you can substitute beans for the hominy if you are so inclined! Turkey Posole Chili (this was adapted from a Posole soup recipe from the USDA 5 a day program and I don't really have a set recipe. What I have is what goes in!) 1- 20oz package ground turkey 2 - onions chopped (yellow or white, doesn't matter!) 1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic (I use way more than this) 2 chopped peppers - I usually use a red and a green chopped fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes (OR, ditch the peppers and tomatoes and just use salsa! I have a home-canned chunky salsa that I use!) 1 - #10 can of mexican hominy water or broth (amount varies) salt pepper chili powder cumin Brown the turkey into crumbles in the bottom of a large stock pot. Add the onions and garlic. You may need to add some hot broth or water to keep the turkey from sticking. When onions start to go clear, add peppers, hominy, and tomatoes. Or, add a couple of jars of salsa if you're in a hurry! Then, determine how thick you want your chili and add water or broth accordingly. This makes a great soup as well. Then, stir in your spices and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. I would use spice to taste. For example, whenever a recipe calls for cumin, I usually triple or quadruple the amount because we love the flavor! Same with chili powder. I deliberately under salt or no salt recipes because I flirt with high blood pressure so my family just salts to taste at the table. You could also use fresh cilantro if you'd like or add corn, or black beans, or saute some chopped celery along with the onions & garlic, etc. Use what you've got! I usually freeze this into one serving portions. I use quart size freezer bags that I fill & then lay flat on a cookie sheet. This allows them to stack nicely in the freezer. (tip from OAMC years ago!) Reminder: the mexican hominy has a lower carb count. I have no idea why. I also make a similar dish with bulgar and black beans, but that version is definitely not low carb! You can top this with sour cream and cheese if you'd like. I usually don't to keep the calorie count lower.

Excellent ideas on this thread:

Here in California, gas goes up 12 cents a gallon tomorrow. Thank you elected officials. http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gas-tax-increase-political-battle-20171031-story.html

Bump! I had forgotten about this recipe and I have LOTS and LOTS of butternut squash to use!

I found this link in the Food Storage Section of the Forum. Good stuff! http://nchstd.documents.s3.amazonaws.com/More Month than Money PDF.pdf

If you are truly worried, what about throwing a bike rack on the back of your van and hauling your bikes with you? Bikes are definitely EMP Proof.

I would probably focus on having enough resources to get to the nearest Emergency Shelter. I can't imagine walking 1,500+ miles in the snow without serious winter gear. But then, I'm a California girl. I don't do snow!

DH often flies out of state/country for work. And, since he refuses to pay luggage fees, often only takes a carry-on. He is also cheap umm, I mean frugal so he always takes an empty water bottle to fill once he gets past security. He has a lifestraw bottle, and no, I didn't tell him how much it cost! I also have a couple of water purification tablets clearly labeled in a small plastic bag that he keeps with basic medications, along with individually wrapped sanitary wipes, and a mask. In his quart size bag for liquids, he also has a small bottle of hand sanitizer. One small pouch of his backpack is reserved for the "snacks" I pack for him, you know, to save money on airport food. LOL - nuts, dried fruit, dried cereal, granola bars, pretzel sticks, cookies and/or small chocolate bars, and jerky. I also throw in peanut butter pouches but those go into his quart size bag for security. He dresses in lots of layers so he can get his bag classified as carryon, and then once through, he takes off a few layers and crams them in the bag! I told you he was frugal! Other than that, he has his basic notebook computer & electronics. That's about it other than emergency cash and an international debit card. Obviously, no self-defense tools are allowed on an airplane. For your situation, your goal I'm guessing is to keep your children safe and comfortable. Why not pack a small backpack for each of them? This way if you have to walk, they can carry whatever weight they are able to in their bags. I would include at least one emergency blanket, flashlight, and personal hygiene products (individual wipes, travel toothbrush, comb, etc) as well as giving each their very own age appropriate first aid kit - cutesy band-aids are a must! And then special snacks, extra socks, sweat suit, special little toys/activities, light stick, hand warmers, etc. Maybe even a compass to keep them engaged if you do end up walking a ways. Think as light as possible. But if you've got the basics covered, I would think you'll be fine. I always carry a couple of cans of fix-a-flat in our cars, especially when travelling as well as a bottle of engine oil and water for the radiator. I would also, if there's room, bring a backpacking pack complete with tent, tarp, & fire starters. Freeze dried food, nuts, jerky, chocolate, cheerios, etc to keep you all going. Depending on the age of your brood, a backpack child carrier and/or small push stroller? At the very least, you could load the backpack up with additional supplies. I would also recommend having cash in small denominations spread throughout your families bags. Weapons/self-defence I will leave up to your discretion and comfort level. But, I would recommend having a knife or small foldable saw as well as scissors and I would make your first aid kit significantly more substantial than the ones for your children. In other words, throw some camping/backpacking supplies in! I'm sure you already have if only to cook a picnic dinner at a local park! I wouldn't lose too much sleep over this. I have a feeling you've thought everything through several times over! And, once you get home, it might be fun to go hiking with the kids and their packs and practice using some of the supplies. Enjoy your travels. Not sure what part of Oregon you are in but it's a beautiful state! Oh, yeah, you might want to add dollar store ponchos to their bags! LOL

I also came across this list. It's got some titles I haven't read! https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/41-doomsday-fictions-books-that-you-should-be-reading/ 41 Doomsday Fiction Books That You Should Be Reading! Last updated on May 4, 2016 By Contributor By Wolverine – books are listed in random order. Looks like you have a lot of reading to catch up on. If you have suggestions for other great doomsday fiction books that are not listed here then please let us know in the comments below. Patriots, by James W. Rawles, Economic collapse scenario. Lots of useful information on tactics, food storage, fuel storage, retreat security, survival medicine, etc. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about survivalism for the first time, as well as for long-term survivors. It’s full of great information, and is an eye-opener. I may not say that the survivors made the best choices possible in the story, but I learned from it. Footfall by Jerry Pournelle. Alien’s similar to elephants invade the earth. A good deal of how to survive in urban areas without the infrastructure we would normally have. Lucifer’s Hammer , by Pournelle. A comet strikes the earth, many survival skills and scenes. Also deals with cannibalism. Tunnel in the Sky , by Heinlein. Survival in an unexpected, long term situation. Sixth Column , by Heinlein. Survival after enemy invasion of the US. Farnham’s Freehold , by Heinlein. One mans preparation and success in surviving nuclear war. Pulling Through, by Dean Ing. Post nuclear war scenario, Mr. Ing manages to discuss a wide variety of pertinent survival skills. The Stand, by Stephen King. All reports suggest the book is better than the miniseries on TV was, I didn’t watch the series. Starts out with a plague killing most people on earth, gets very supernatural. Unintended Consequences by John Ross. The first two-thirds of “Unintended Consequences” comprise a fictionalized chronology of various characters on three continents experiencing the effects of being armed – and being disarmed – from 1906 to the present. In the final third of the novel, set after Waco and Ruby Ridge, America’s gun-grabbers finally go too far. Gun owners find themselves pushed to the point where they realize it’s either give up all their weapons or fight back. Individually, without getting together to form any giant conspiracy, they start killing their oppressors. A few at first… then by the hundreds. Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank. The first (?) survivalist book. Nuclear war survival in rural Florida. No Blade of Grass, by John Christopher? A plague wipes out all food grains over most of the earth. People fleeing London for Wales, also forming local alliances and groups. The Sheep Look Up, by John Brunner. Survival in an ecologically damaged America. Stand on Zanzibar, by John Brunner. Life in an oppressive police state, within an ecologically damaged world. Malevil, by Robert Merle. Post nuclear war survival in rural France. Interesting social dramas, not too good for survival skills. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. Useful for understanding the people responsible for the problems. Wolf And Iron, by Gordon R. Dickson. Post economic collapse. Lone wanderer scavenges and learns his way across several states. Finally sets up as blacksmith and farmer rancher. A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller. A fascinating book about long-term post apocalypse story, about the value of books and knowledge. The Postman, by David Brin. A great book about a traveler in the medium – long post nuclear war environment, the establishment of local and regional governments, and the value of a traveling postman to carry news from one region to another. Earth Abides by George R Steward. Pandemic survivors find each other and build communities initially based on scavenging. Inertia causes little of pre-disaster technology and culture to be passed on, causing great anguish to main character. Survivors by Terry Nation. Pneumonic plague strain spread by air travel kills off most of the population. Set in Great Britain, a survivor group failing under pressure from bad weather and hostile neighbors migrates to the south of France. Strangely enough Brits will use guns if they can get them. All Fools’ Day by Edmund Cooper. A new type of radiation (yuk yuk) causes most of mankind to commit suicide. The immune are ‘creative artists of all kinds, lunatics, political and religious fanatics, prostitutes and pathological animal lovers.’ Set in Great Britain. Harvest of Stars, by Paul Anderson: America where political correctness has become a religion and taken over. One must think ahead and be on ones toes at all times in dealing with a police state; acting experience is a plus! Vandenberg, by Oliver Lange. Life in a United States occupied by Soviet(or whatever) troops. Frightening. Warday and Nature’s End, by Whitley Straub The Ends of the Circle, by Paul O. Williams – sorry I could not find this one on Amazon.com Some Will Not Die, by Algis Budrys. Post pandemic in New York City Son of initial main char forms the “Reunification Army” to create the “Second Republic.” Guns, guns, and more guns and living on 20 year old canned goods. Still not a bad story. Only Lovers Left Alive by Dave Wallis. Set in Britain, virtually everyone over 19 commits suicide over a 2 year period. A street gang rises to the conquest of London metro area but finds it tough going in the country when the canned good run out. – sorry I could not find this one on Amazon.com Out of the Ashes series by William Johnstone. The first is excellent on establishing attitude and the others each have a few tidbits in them. His Tri-states concept is developing almost a cult-like following in some areas. Most of the later volumes are just pay copy (Is there any other reason to write?) so you have to wade through a lot of story line to pick out the good parts. He writes interesting copy so it isn’t a chore. The Guardians – series by Richard Austin (pretty darned good until you get to around # 20 or #23, then they were done by ghost writers and the characters just got too weird). Deathlands – series by James Axler (survival value very little, but I think they’re darned good reading, especially the first 10 – 15 books) Death Wind by William C. Heine. The plot is that a pandemic suddenly sweeps North America, killing within minutes anyone exposed to an infected person, even being downwind is sufficient. The story follows a Canadian family who retreat to the far North to avoid the plague. There are several elements that bear directly on survival. First, there is a sudden onset of the emergency with no prior warning. The immediate response reaction is instructive. Second there are the North country survival techniques. Third there are psychological factors of being a survivor in a situation where most others die. And there is more, dealing with post-disaster situations, though I won’t go into that because it would spoil the book for you. It’s a page turner, though of course not a survival handbook. Path to Savagery by Robert Edmund Alter. The world after a minor nuclear war. The polar ice caps have melted, flooding the coast lines. North America is suffering from a drought and millions of people are dead. The hero is a “loner” who avoids interacting with the tribes that most of the survivors have joined. He has a Thompson sub-machine gun and the right attitude. The Castle Keeps by Andrew J Offutt. American life has gradually gone to hell in a hand basket, especially in the cities. Story of a family that moved to a farm determined to do what it takes to survive and live well. My only complaint with this book is that the protagonist uses a Colt .45 SAA instead of a M1911. Other than this, the scenes involving firearms are very well done. Sorry, I could not find this one on Amazon.com. The Long Loud Silence by Wilson Tucker. Bio war wipes out USA east of Mississippi. The story of an “immune” (all such are careers). Cannibalism is adopted by some survivors. The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham. A meteor shower blinds most of the inhabitants on earth. A group of people who still have sight fight against flesh eating plants while the try to survive. Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien fictional account of a young woman surviving the aftermath of a nuclear war on her parents farm. Very weak on science. She lives in a protected valley, and everything outside the valley is dead. Then one day a man shows up who invented a radiation proof suit with a pushcart (since cars are radioactive). She hides in the woods, unsure of what to do. Finally she shows herself, but not before he drinks from a radioactive pond. He gets sick, she helps him, he eventually tries to rape her, and she hides again. It had some good points, such as hiding her garden, getting fuel from pumps w/o electricity, and what to do with her dog, since it could be used by the man to find her. (reviewer) read it in Jr. High School in the school library, so its at least 13 old, and intended for younger readers. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson. The basis for the Omega Man movie, a plague kills almost everyone. Earth Blood (3 book series) and The Death lands books by James Axler. The Earth Blood books are about an earth where some sort of biological agent has destroyed most of the plant life throwing the world into chaos. The Death Land books take place 100 or so years after a nuclear holocaust. Fire and Ice – by Ray Kytle c 1975 D McKay & Co. It is the story of the effects of a Middle East War/Oil Crisis on a (liberal, although not for long) University professor and his family and friends. The oil fields are sabotaged/destroyed and Western Civilization gradually, then with increasing speed, grinds to a halt. Then, it becomes a story of survival, as the characters must contend not only with food shortages but looters, gangs and even the military. Then, the weather begins to change, affected by the burning oil fields. Future Eden by J.M. Morgan- people in the biosphere project survive a plague like the one in the stand and 20 years later have found a way to go back out side. Sorry, I could not find this one on Amazon.com. Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny. A man has to make a cross country run in a post apocalyptic America Long Voyage Back by Luke Rehinhart- the story of a family who survive a nuclear holocaust by sailing along the cost of North and South America Dark Advent by Brian Hodge- another story about a illness that wipes out much of the world population. Swan Song by Robert McCammeron- A post nuclear war story. Well that’s it for my recommended survivalist fiction – please list your favorites in the comments below…

Welcome back! (((Happygirl)))

Simple yet brilliant! http://www.thisisinsider.com/quarter-in-frozen-water-trick-hurricane-2017-9 The "quarter in frozen cup of water" trick could prevent you from getting really sick in the aftermath of a hurricane. You just fill a cup with water, freeze it, and stick a quarter on top. When you come back from a hurricane evacuation, if the quarter is still at the top of the cup, your food is safe to eat. If the quarter sank, it means your freezer lost power and you should throw your food out.

(((((Wormie/John)))))

Benefits of beans for those over 40 (That's most of us! LOL ) http://www.doctoroz.com/article/after-40-nutrition-surprising-health-benefits-beans snippet: All legumes such as kidney, black, white and red beans, chick peas and lentils confer health benefits. Including beans in your diet several times a week may decrease the risk of colorectal adenomas (polyps), which may in turn lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Eating beans regularly may lower the risk of coronary heart disease. The Shanghai Women’s Health Study looked at the legume consumption of over 64,000 women and their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that consumption of legumes, particularly soybeans, was inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes. The more legumes these women ate, the lower their risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Beans are hearty and are a good alternative to high-fat protein sources like red meat. In the Nurses Health Study of 83,818 women, researchers found that women who ate peanuts and peanut butter had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Peanuts, which technically are considered a legume, are high in healthy fats, magnesium and fiber. Beans you may not have heard of but are worth a try: mung, adzuzki and cranberry.

This recipe is my favorite filling for special occasions. In fact, I'll be eating it the day after Thanksgiving while everyone else is eating turkey sandwiches. http://www.simple-veganista.com/2013/11/cranberry-walnut-chickpea-salad-sandwic.html CRANBERRY WALNUT CHICKPEA SALAD SANDWICH Ingredients 3 cups cooked or 2 cans (15oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed 1 cup celery, diced 1/2 cup organic dried cranberries (chopped fresh would be great too) 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped 1/2 cup scallions (green onions), thinly sliced, white & green parts mineral salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon each) Dressing 6 tablespoons (1/3 cup) tahini or vegan mayo 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) champagne, white wine or cider vinegar (I used Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar) 2 tablespoons water (only needed if using tahini) 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup To serve leafy lettuce of choice bread of choice Start by mixing your dressing. In a small bowl combine tahini/mayo, vinegar, water and maple syrup. Set aside so the flavors come together. This can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Add a tad more water, or vinegar if you’re a vinegar lover, to thin out dressing as desired. If using vegan mayo, you may like to add 2 more tablespoons. In a medium to large bowl, add your garbanzo beans and roughly mash with a strong fork or potato masher. Add in celery, cranberries, nuts, scallions, salt, pepper and dressing, mix well. Serve at room temp or let chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. Serve on your favorite bread as a closed or open faced sandwich, or on a bed of leafy greens. You may even opt to simply enjoy the salad as is. Serves 6 – 8. Notes: Add extra of anything you like, and vice versa, if you’re not keen on an ingredient use less or omit! One particular ingredient may be the vinegar. I’m not much of a vinegar fan but I loved the orange muscat champagne vinegar and found I used quite a bit and loved it! Change up the walnuts, using pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc. If using sunflower seeds, use half the amount called for. For the dressing, I have only made this using tahini since I do not use any kind of store bought vegan mayos. If using vegan mayo, adjust accordingly adding more mayo as needed, maybe 1/2 cup instead of 1/3. I do recommend trying this recipe with tahini…it is seriously so good that you would never know and it is much better/cleaner for you than the store bought mayos!

One of my favorite bean recipes! I eat mostly vegan these days to help keep my cholesterol down but if hubby is sharing, I will mix in one can of actual tuna per two cans of garbanzo beans. Also, to keep fat and calories down, I use lowfat veganaise although the original dressing from the recipe is absolutely delicious! http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2011/04/15/tu-no-salad-wraps/ TU-NO SALAD Prep time: 25 mins Total time: 25 mins Serves: 4 to 6 (makes 1 cup dressing and 5 cups salad) INGREDIENTS For the salad: 2 cans cooked garbanzo beans (15 ounces each; about 3 cups total), drained and rinsed 3 ribs celery, sliced or chopped (about 1 cup) ¼ cup finely chopped red onion ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil 1 medium, ripe avocado, chopped (optional) Cashew-Mustard Dressing: ½ cup water 2 ounces raw, unsalted cashews (about ½ cup) 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons mustard (I like Dijon or stone ground) 2 teaspoons vinegar (I like apple cider) 1 medium clove garlic, sliced 2 to 3 teaspoons kelp granules (optional; see Notes) INSTRUCTIONS Place all of the dressing ingredients (water, cashews, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, garlic, and kelp, if using) into a blender, and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the cashews can soften). Place the garbanzo beans into a food processor and pulse until the beans are broken but still flaky (do not overblend). Transfer the beans to a large bowl and add the celery, red onion, basil, and avocado (if using). Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth. Stir the dressing into the salad. Serve as is or see the serving suggestions above. NOTES Adding kelp granules lends a seafood flavor to this salad (although it’s great without it, too). You can find kelp granules in the spice aisle or Asian cooking section of the grocery store. For a lower-fat dressing, substitute a little over ½ cup cooked white beans (any type; drained and rinsed) for the cashews. NUTRITION INFORMATION Serving size: ⅙ recipe, ¾ cup Calories: 203 Fat: 6.1g Saturated fat: 0.9g Carbohydrates: 26.6g Sugar: 2.4g Sodium: 105mg Fiber: 6.3g Protein: 9.3g Cholesterol: 0

We had an incredibly hot summer here as well. The New Zealand Spinach that grew best was the stuff that planted itself! I think I have your address in chat. You haven't moved have you? Also, the celery I bought from plants about 10 years ago and I've never bought it since. It conveniently reseeds itself every year all over the yard. In fact, it's time to go searching for little seedlings while they are small enough to transplant into a proper planter.

Mt3 - I'm so sorry you and your husband are going through this. I agree with Jeepers about the landscape business. Anything to help fill in the gaps until he finds permanent employment would be great. Other self-employment opportunities might be sitting with the elderly while regular caregivers run errands, handyman, delivery services (groceries, pizza, auto stores), uber driver, pet sitter and/or walker for full-time workers, etc. None of these will make a house payment, except maybe the landscape business, but the nice thing is that they are mostly cash based businesses. Praying that things start looking up for you!

(((((Sue))))) Hugs and prayers to you and your family.

Hi, I'm cleaning up my New Zealand Spinach bed and have harvested lots of seeds. Would anyone like any? If so, pm me and I'll put them in the mail. I also have celery, cilantro, and kale seed to spare if anyone would like those. I don't have a ton - I live and garden on an urban lot - but I'll happily split what I have with whoever is interested. https://www.harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_new_zealand_spinac/

I'm in Central California so I tend to get things within a few days. But absolutely YES on the 50 lb bags of dog food. I order the 25 pound bags of cat litter and food every month and it comes right to my door. In fact, if I'm home, they'll bring them into the garage for me! The last two times I've actually gone into the store, I've been told that the items I want have to be ordered online. It takes a bit of advance planning sometimes, but for most of my purchases, I'm simply replacing items we've used and that I keep a 3-6 month supply of anyway. And while some claim it's bad for the local economy to not purchase items from the stores themselves so that they have to employ cashiers and stock people, it's been extremely beneficial to my personal economy. As for coupon matching, I"m not sure that works online. Very little of what I buy has coupons.

I did a quick search and didn't see any mention of this, but most of you are pro's at penny-pinching so you've probably already figured this out. But, did you know that you can shop wal-mart.com and as long as you spend $35 your shipping is free?!? And, if you have a swagbucks account and log in through there, you can save an additional 2-5% off the top. So, once a month, I have all of our basics delivered (cat litter, cat food, laundry soap, dish soap, shampoo & conditioner, etc) and I don't have to worry about our local wal-mart not having an item in stock. Or, if my knee is acting up, I don't have to waste my daily knee usage up on trudging through wal-mart. Then, every 3-6 months, depending on how much I've stocked up, I go collect my swagbucks and I usually have around $25-$50 to apply to my Amazon account for items that Wal-Mart doesn't carry. (Usually Advantage flea treatments for the cats). Thought I'd give you all a heads up. By the way, yes, I do know that by logging in through swagbucks my shopping patterns are heavily monitored. But, I don't really care if people know how much cat litter and laundry soap I go through.

I stopped pre-soaking my beans several years ago and I haven't looked back. Thought some of you might enjoy this article: http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-dont-soak-dried-beans-20140911-story.html Are you still soaking dried beans? Why? For years I’ve been telling people that you don’t need to soak most beans. Now the cool kids are agreeing. Yesterday my old e-friend, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, published on Serious Eats his findings on cooking black beans. The headline: “So you like flavor? Don’t soak your black beans!” He’s a nice young man, so he very generously mentioned a piece I’d done many years ago on soaking versus not soaking dried beans. This prompted me to fire up the L.A. Times WayBack Machine and retrieve that story. It’s a funny thing about cooking: I’m always changing my opinions as I learn new things. But I have to say that this holds up almost entirely. The only change is that I now cook the beans at 350 degrees rather than 250. It saves time with no damage to flavor or texture. Here is my story from 1994. And just for fun, I included a sidebar I wrote on beans and flatulence. Because, well, “Beans and Flatulence”! "Beans: To Soak or Not to Soak, It's No Longer a Question" Almost every recipe in every cookbook you've ever read says you must soak dried beans before you cook them. In almost every case that advice is wrong. Letting dried beans sit overnight in a bowl of cold water does nothing to improve their flavor or their texture. In fact, it does quite the opposite. While soaking shortens the unattended cooking time of beans somewhat, the time saved is marginal and there are no other labor-saving benefits. Finally, soaking does absolutely nothing to reduce the gas-producing properties of beans. These may be difficult ideas to get used to, flying as they do in the face of everything most of us have been taught about cooking beans. One friend, an Arizonan, dismissed the idea out-of-hand, attributing it to my New Mexican background. "What do they know about beans?" she said. But cooking unsoaked beans is not new. No less an authority than noted Mexican cookbook writer Diana Kennedy has advocated it for years. "If you want the best-flavored beans, don't soak them overnight, but start cooking in hot water," she says in "The Cuisines of Mexico" (Harper & Row: 1972). In fact, the more I asked around, the more people I found who cooked beans this way -- mostly, it seemed, people from Mexican or Central American families -- although at least one prominent New American chef and another well-known French chef agreed. What's more, few commercial canners soak dried beans before cooking. In fact, in a way they don't cook the beans at all. The heat and pressure of the canning process (called the retort) is enough to cook -- perhaps even overcook -- the beans right in the can. Still, I wanted to see for myself. Call it trial by frijoles. Betcha can't resist: 75 classic comfort food recipes » First, I cooked three pots of beans: one soaked overnight, one quick-soaked (brought to a boil and left to sit, covered for one hour), and one simply covered with boiling water. To each pot I added a hunk of salt pork, some sliced onion and a bit of garlic. I simmered them slowly on top of the stove, covered. The two soaked beans did cook more quickly than the unsoaked -- they were finished in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, as opposed to two hours. But when I sampled them, the extra 45 minutes paid off. The two pots of soaked beans were pallid compared to the unsoaked (though the long-soaked were better than the quick-soaked). The unsoaked beans had a noticeably deeper flavor; they were firmer to the bite, and they did not break up as much in cooking. Then came the ultimate test. I sat down with a big bowl of the cooked unsoaked beans (after a little refrying with bacon and a handful of grated Monterey Jack cheese) and ate lunch. I waited, half expecting to blow up like a balloon (as a precaution, I did this test at home, alone). Nothing untoward happened. That experiment was far from scientific, but after talking to a couple of researchers who confirmed my results, I moved on to more phone calls and other tests. All of us, it seems, have our own set of folk tales about cooking beans. And most rules are followed simply because that's the way someone told us to do it, rather than as a result of any kind of testing. --Some people told me quite firmly that beans should never be salted before cooking -- that this keeps them from softening during cooking. In fact, Kennedy herself makes this claim. So I cooked beans with salt added (1 teaspoon per pound of beans turns out to be about the right ratio) and without. They cooked to exactly the same degree of softness in almost exactly the same time. Interestingly, though, to get the same level of saltiness in the unsalted batch of beans, I had to add more than twice as much salt. And even then, it was more a case of the broth being salty than the beans. --Other people said that the type of pot in which beans are cooked is the most important thing -- only earthenware will do. I cooked beans in three different pots -- earthenware, stainless-steel and unlined aluminum. There was some difference in the rate at which the beans soaked up water (or, probably more accurately, the pans soaked up water). The earthenware needed more water early but then seemed to maintain a steady level a little better. I could find little difference in flavor between the earthenware and the stainless-steel, but the unlined aluminum lent a distinctly metallic flavor to the beans. --One chef told me he never allowed his beans to be cooked on top of the stove. Only by cooking them in the oven is it possible to get the slow, steady pace they need, he claimed. I cooked beans both on top of the stove and in the oven. With constant attention and a ready flame-tamer, I could manipulate the temperature well enough to keep the beans at a sufficiently slow simmer. But, covered, in a 250-degree oven, the cooking was almost effortless. All I had to do was check every half-hour or so to make sure there was sufficient water. The effect of the cover was particularly amazing. Cooking beans in one test without a cover took six hours. The same quantity of beans, cooked at the same temperature with a lid, was done in about 1 hour, 15 minutes (without pre-soaking). All of these tests were done with commonly available varieties -- pinto and white northern -- that had been purchased from stores that seem to sell a lot of beans. In fact, the age of the bean may be the most important factor. Dried beans continue to lose moisture as they sit. With very recently picked beans -- say, the Scarlet Runners I pick and shell in the summer in my back yard -- a quick simmer is all that is necessary. (Actually they are quite good even raw when doused with a little olive oil, mint or basil and salt). On the other hand, those dried flageolet beans you bought on a whim a couple of years ago that have been sitting in the back of the pantry ever since may be quite dry. In fact, with these beans, soaking may be necessary to bring the cooking time down to a matter of hours, rather than days. Finally, it was time to put the beans to the final test -- cooking them in recipes. What good is science, after all, if it is not in the service of mankind? So test we did, adapting old favorite bean recipes to this "new" way of cooking. The results were gratifying: In every case, the dishes were done in almost the same amount of time as the originals. And the textures and flavors of the beans were much improved. Progress is great when it tastes so good. And now for the fun stuff. "Clearing the Air" There is no getting around it -- beans cause flatulence. The degree to which different beans affect different people varies, but the truth is inescapable. And there seems to be little a cook can do about it. Whether to soak beans prior to cooking or not is simply a culinary question. It may shorten the cooking time, but other than that, there's no effect [on flatulence]. — Gregory Gray, U.S. Department of Agriculture "Whether to soak beans prior to cooking or not is simply a culinary question," says Gregory Gray, who has been studying beans for 10 years at the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Western Regional Research lab in Albany, Calif. "It may shorten the cooking time, but other than that, there's no effect [on flatulence]." Louis B. Rockland, who has been studying beans even longer -- first at Albany and now with his own research firm, Food Tech Research in Placentia, concurs. "There are lots of old wives' tales [about reducing flatulence] -- people use bicarbonate of soda, ginger, sulfur, castor oil -- a whole series of them. But there's no evidence that any of them -- including soaking -- work effectively." The problem with beans is well documented. At its root are two factors. First, beans are high in fiber, which most Americans don't eat much of and which can cause flatulence. Second, beans contain complex sugars called alpha-galactosides. The human body does not produce enzymes to digest these sugars. Mainly raffinose and stachyose, they pass through the stomach undigested until they reach the large intestine. There they ferment, producing gases -- hydrogen, carbon dioxide and -- in some people -- methane. The rest is faux pas. It was thought that soaking beans in cold water leached these sugars out of the bean. Throw away the water and you throw away the gas -- it has a simple appeal. Unfortunately, it isn't true. These sugars are part of what the bean uses for nourishment as it grows into a plant, and the bean does not part with them gladly. "When you soak beans in cold water, the beans are actually still alive and their cell walls are still functional," explains Gray. "Those walls are designed to be a very good barrier -- to take water in, but not to let the seed nutrients out." Gray and his colleagues developed a method for extracting most of the alpha-galactosides from beans. The beans are boiled for three minutes (effectively killing the bean and allowing the sugars to pass through the cell walls), then allowed to stand for two hours. That water is poured off and the beans are covered and soaked for another two hours. Then they're drained, covered and soaked another two hours before being drained and rinsed a final time. This method succeeded in ridding the beans of 90% of the troublesome sugars, but as you might expect, there was a side effect. "I used to do this blanch-soak method all the time at home and it works very nicely," Gray says. "The one thing people who ate dinner with us have noted is that you do lose some flavor." What's more -- without going into details of what they measured and how -- suffice it to say that even with almost all of the alpha-galactosides gone, there wasn't a consistent marked decrease in human flatulence. "We reduced the alpha-galactoside content by 90% but we haven't done anything to dietary fiber," says Gray, "and dietary fiber produces similar effects." This casts doubt not only on this particular pre-soaking method but also on the effectiveness of enzyme additions, such as Beano, which supposedly supply the chemicals necessary to break down the problem sugars. In fact, it seems, the surest cure for flatulence caused by beans is eating more beans. "Apparently, if you eat beans regularly, the microflora [which ferment the sugars causing gas] adjust somewhat," says Gray. "If you eat bean-and-cheese burritos every day, unless you have some kind of specific problem, you probably won't notice it at all. In cultures that routinely eat beans, you don't hear a lot of complaining about flatulence."

I need to add canned tuna, oatmeal, vinegar, cooking sherry.