Thank You Momtoellis!

I don't know who "momtoellis" is, but she submitted this great recipe for Cuban Black Beans II to allrecipes.com, and they are DAMN GOOD. Since I had a half a bag of pre-soaked, pre-cooked garbanzo beans in the refrigerator from the Two Bean experience, I turned it into Cuban Garbanzos, but you really could use any kind of bean. I recommend a red or yellow pepper, or both colors. I also had some Niman Ranch ham on hand, so I cubed some up and added it to the pot. We've had this cold the past two nights, and it is deeeelicious. Really hits the spot with some crusty bread for dipping. It would also be great in the winter as a hot soup. It smelled a little too peppery as it was cooking, almost burnt, but once it cooked and then cooled for a while, the flavors melded together.

If you made it with black beans, you'd probably want it to be hot, too, with tortillas. But with white beans, it might be good cold, just like we've been having it/them. I'm contemplating mixing part of it with the leftover stale french bread for a nutritious panzanella (what? you've never had panzanella?) for tomorrow.

Actually, these beans remind me of a guy I used to know in the restaurant business. He'll remain without a last name, since part of his story includes drug possession and dangerous behavior, but if you'd met him, you'd know exactly who I'm talking about. Todd was a charmed southern boy whose father was somehow involved with a famous upper crust golf resort in West Virginia. I forget how. Todd himself was a line cook, one who for the most part was able to take the inferno-like heat and daily beating of saute side with a wink and a smile. And maybe a faceful of "bad arugula on line" now and then during one of the chef's moments. He took it all in stride.

Todd's stories were well-told in that charming, meandering southern way, and generally involved a fun but illegal activity--such as driving 100 miles an hour cross country while polishing off a fifth of bourbon-- or worse-- and a narrow escape from justice. The one I remember best involved said trip, said bourbon, and an extra joint that happened to be in his pocket when he was pulled over. At sometime in his curiously Tater-Salad-ish past, Todd had not quite slipped through the fence of another legal backyard, therefore I believe there was a warrant out for his arrest as well. But that could have been another story.

As Todd was led, Yes Sir, No Sir, to the jail cell, most likely in handcuffs, he asked to use the restroom. Now, people with jails know that people in jails do this sort of thing, so it was almost a miracle that his escort was distracted for a perfectly timed split second. The joint was slipped surreptitiously out of his pocket and into the urinal without being detected, and Todd was miraculously released with a "you get on outta here" slap on the wrist.

Now, I am decidedly not southern, so I was able to encapsulate that story for you in a paragraph or so. When Todd told it, it took exactly the same time as it took him to chop onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers, and cook a delicious pot of tiny white beans-- from scratch. I mean dried, unsoaked (albeit tiny) white beans. As he talked, he kept adding more and more ingredients, punctuating the story's highlights with a squirt of ketchup here, a drizzle of maple syrup there (I think?), salting, seasoning and layering until I was as fascinated by what these beans might taste like as I was wondering what the heck he was going to do next, to the beans and in the story. And gol dangit, they were the best beans I've ever tasted in my life. I've tried to replicate them ever since, and this Cuban recipe has something of their flavor.

Todd, if you're out there, I hope you're still going strong.

**Ok, I couldn't resist. Yes, I googled him. He's the executive chef of a swanky club, I won't say where. Got a picture and everything. And his eyes are nice and crinkly from all of that smiling and storytelling. I recognized him instantly. What a nice ending to the story. Hi Todd!