a food question I didn't expect to have to ask

[redbird]

cattitude has just sent a break-up message to Goya foods, having discovered via Twitter that their president is an ardent Trump supporter.

After twenty-five happy years, we are looking for other sources of canned beans worth the eating, and of olive oil.

My notes from Washington say that O Organics canned black beans are acceptable but bland, and Eden Organic navy beans are good.

I realize this is small potatoes compared to having to break up with a close friend or partner, or cut off a relative, for similar reasons--but I haven't had to do that (which may say something positive about my family). Speaking of family, boycotting food for political reasons was part of my upbringing--we did without grapes for years, to support the United Farm Workers.

Comments

[minnehaha]

I honestly wonder if I am capable of caring about the difference between one or another brand of canned beans, from a taste perspective. Next time I am buying beans, I think I will buy the store-brand absolute cheapest and see if they satisfy.

K.

[redbird]

Please report back. I didn't think I would care, and I don't remember how much of the problem with the other brands of beans was flavor. It's possible that there was a bit of "I miss New York, I miss my old neighborhood, this place doesn't even have the right kind of canned goods" influencing that.

[minnehaha]

I will, though such a report would be more useful to you if I were also in MA.

K.

[redbird]

A lot of "store brand" things are the same product from one store to another, and one area of the country to another. I noticed that "Signature farms" turns up here and in Washington.

[adrian_turtle]

I used to think they were commodities, like flour. But they aren't. Sometimes I've had other brands, because they were less expensive or the store was out of Goya. (Or recently, when somebody was shopping for me and I specified the type of can but not the brand.) It turns out there are canned beans I dislike, but it's more texture than taste. I may try them again, just for dishes where I'm going to cook them a long time anyway.

[minnehaha]

It's definitely true that we all get to like what we like and not have to defend it. Maybe re-fry the ones with texture issues for you, or make bean paté?

As a Mill Citizen and Minnesotan, I am contractually obligated to use General Mills Gold Medal or Pillsbury flour, but have recently learned that soft wheat flour (or, the lack thereof in those general purpose flours) is why my biscuits are not as light and lofty as I'd like. Pastry flour is the way to go for biscuits.

K.