"beans and rice" news and stories

SoCal Burger. Photo: Yogma/Flickr

• In search of the best burger, the Times talks to a slew of gourmet chefs about the recipe for patty perfection.
• The Jets and the Sharks aren't the only ones busy with turf wars -- old-school food vendors are battling a growing onslaught of gourmet street fare on the streets of New York. To top that off, six have been arrested on permit-fraud charges.
  
• Move over foie gras -- seal meat, served in Montreal, is the food world's latest faux pas.
• Restaurants in France breathe a sigh of relief as the meal tax falls from a whopping 19.6 percent to the more reasonable 5.5 percent.
• Beans and rice, as seen through the eyes of Joe Quintana, executive chef at Rosa Mexicano.
• "Twelfth Night" fans rejoice: Central Park's Delacorte Theater now offers a whole realm of food beyond the usual pretzels and hot dogs.
• The Minimalist makes some flavored oils.

Last weekend, I used dried pinto beans for the first time. And actually, other than a brief flirtation with cannellini beans during college and the occasional lentil soup or salad, my experience with dried beans is nil. When I was growing up, we were more of a canned bean family and so the idea of cooking with dried beans just never really crossed my mind.

However, over the last few months (or so) I've been seeing lots of people write about using dried beans. The Pioneer Woman did it (and paired them with cornbread). The Gluten-Free Girl described beans in delicious detail. And Luisa, the Wednesday Chef, did amazing things with giant white lima beans.