No Gautam, I haven't noticed that. However, it was pretty common knowledge, wherever we lived in Mexico, that beans that were more recently harvested cooked more easily. They don't have to boil in order to soften. One way we've cooked beans, when not in any hurry is to bring them up to boiling, cover, turn off the heat, and let them set for about a hour. Then we'd turn the heat back on and cook. I can't remember just how much longer we'd cook them. But they cooked up as if they had been on the heat even for that hour, when in fact they weren't. Also, for anyone who doesn't know it. The best way I know, to tell if a bean is properly done, is to spoon it out of the pot hot, and blow on it. If the bean's skin splits, it's done to perfection! Some people in the USA have told me that they can't cook beans; that they've tried, but that they never get soft. More often than not it's not their fault. They got hold of old beans which may have sat on the shelf for a long time. Those beans sometimes won't soften properly, not matter how long one cooks them. I don't know how well it works. But some Mexican friends have told me that such old beans can be softened if you hang'em in a sack, under the drip line of your house's roof and let them absorb water a day or two before you try cooking them. George PS. Tlatlauqui is at 7500 feet altitude. The place receives about 11 feet of precipitation a year because it is on the Eastern slope of the Sierra Madre Oriente mountains, at just the right place to catch the warm moist air coming off the Veracruz coast. Everything is green and beautiful, especially when the sun comes out. But there were definitely challenges for gardening and for human health.

It's pretty much beer cheese soup with broccoli. I put2 T butter in my Lec Dutch oven and add 1T chopped onion and 1 T chopped celery and about 1 T chopped carrot...about could be more not less. When veggies are soft add 1T flour...stir and cook a minute or so...add 2 cups or 1 can chicken broth ( 2 cups of home made is better!) and simmer for about 10 minutes....during this time add about 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked (or frozen) broccoli...cook until the broccoli is done, Add a can of beer and bring to a simmer... Add 8 oz of the sharpest chedder you can find...grated....and 1/4 cup grated parmesan....heat until cheese melts and serve. Do not boil! or the cheese will turn into clods! Linda C

There was recipe posted back in May 2007 that Sol said looked authentic, but someone else posted it. I've made it several times and love it. Here's the recipe: "Cuban Black Beans 2 cups Black turtle beans (I didn't measure I used a 1# pkg) 2 green peppers (1 whole the other diced) 6 quarts water 3 TBSP Evoo 2 ham hocks (I used a 1/2 lb hickory smoked bacon) [or turkey/chicken legs/thighs - Lars] 2 cups thinly sliced onion 6 garlic cloves minced 3 TBSP tomato paste (I used the whole can) 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground oregano 3 bay leaves cracked 1 TBSP salt to taste 1 Tsp ground pepper 3 TBSP chopped cilantro (optional) 1/2 cup red wine vinegar or lime juice Soak beans overnight with whole pepper. Remove pepper, keep beans in water. Saute Evoo, bacon or ham, onion, diced pepper, and garlic until veggies are soft. Add to beans, add tom paste, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and S&P. Bring to a boil and then simmer until beans are tender and sauce thickens. Serve over rice. I soaked the beans in my crock, sautéed the veggies and bacon, threw in the spices and tom paste, then added it to the crock and simmered for 3 hours on high. 10 minutes before serving add 1/2 cup red wine vinegar or lime juice. It was quite good. We frequent a mom & pop Cuban restaurant in Somerville and this ranks right up there with their fare." I didn't soak the beans with the pepper, and I used one green pepper and one red pepper, which I sautéed with the onion and garlic. For me, the bell pepper was the key flavor in this recipe, and I've never made it with ham, since DB would not eat it. You can omit the meat altogether, and it is still a good recipe, but I have used chicken or turkey thighs in it also. I used lime juice instead of vinegar because I've got lots of limes on my tree now. Lars

LindaÂs Bean Soup This recipe is my own concoction. I adjust all the spices and ingredients to my taste, so IÂll give you the basics, and you have to go with it from there. Be sure to go easy with the spices in the beginning because the flavors intensify as the cooking continues. You can always add more, but you canÂt remove what is already there. **-Beans, either dry 16 oz. Bag (must soak overnight or follow directions on package) or canned about 4 cans (drain); (I use pinto or black beans, but any beans will work) -Bacon cut up (about ½ to 1 pound for a large pot) -Onions & Garlic (chopped) (I use a large onion and a whole head of garlic) -Chicken broth (about 3 32 oz. cans or cartons of broth) -Sausage (4 or 5 links) -Tomatoes (both chopped and whole) (fresh or canned) about 2 cans chopped and 4 fresh whole tomatoes -Rotel tomatoes (one or two cans) -Peppers fresh (jalapeno, Serrano, habanero) (I use one each-whole) -Beer (one can) -Cilantro (one bunch; the whole bunch including stems) -Fresh Chives and/or green onions (one bunch) -Oregano (fresh or dried) if using fresh herbs always use 3 times that of dried herbs -Cumin (1/4 cup) -Cayenne Pepper (one tablespoon) -Chili Powder (1/4 cup) -Salt & Pepper (freshly ground) to taste -Green Pepper (optional) -Rice (Optional) I fry up the bacon and add the onions and garlic. Be sure not to overcook the garlic or it will get bitter. If this happens, you might as well start over because burned garlic is really bad. Then I add the sausage and brown it. Again make sure you donÂt overcook the garlic. Then I add the broth, beans, a beer, the tomatoes, Rotel peppers, fresh peppers (I use one of each) and all the spices and then finish with water to cover the beans by about 2". Bring to boil (do not allow it to burn) and then reduce heat to simmer. Depending on whether I use dried beans or fresh beans, the cooking time will vary. With dried beans, it takes about 2 to 3 hours to cook. You can then serve the beans with sour cream, fresh chives, fresh tomatoes, fresh onions, and fresh cilantro. Also if you want, you can add some rice (either cooked or uncooked) directly into the beans towards the end of the cooking period. Or you can just serve the beans over a bed of rice. I use yellow rice, but white rice works just as well. The rice will give you more of a full feeling, if you know what I mean. **When using black beans add 2 to 4 smoked ham hocks for great flavor.