I love beans. Don't laugh! I know what you're thinking right about now, but seriously, beans are practically perfect in every way. They're jam packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, and low in fat. Bonus: They're super easy to prepare. Toss them in a crock pot with some chicken stock or water, and you're done. And as for their ill side effect, it's nothing a little Beano can't handle, right?

Last night I cooked up some Yellow Eye beans that a friend gave me from Rancho Gordo, a "New World Specialty Food" producer based in Napa, California. Among other things, Rancho Gordo peddles heirloom beans---lots of hard-to-find varietals like Moro (said to be slightly fudge-like, dense yet non-starchy) and Vaquero (which have striking black and white markings much like a dairy cow's). Up until now, I'd thought beans are beans, right? But a couple bites of the Yellow Eye beans, and I was convinced that their heirloom beans are a huge, no, enormous step up from your typical canned or dried beans---something that has to do with the fact that Rancho Gordo grows their beans in "limited quantities to ensure quality and more importantly, freshness." 

So eat your Rancho Gordo beans, and take heart that you are supporting a small mom and pop-type operation that supports local agriculture and works to help small farmers in regions like Mexico to continue growing their indigenous crops (read more about their RG-XOXOC project).

Rancho Gordo New World Specialty Food
1924 Yajome Street, Napa, CA 94559
Tel 707-259-1935
customerservice@ranchogordo.com'
Shop online or find their beans at a store or Farmers' Market near you

I like wine, so no matter the color, the sweetness, or the container it comes in, I'll give it a try. Guess you could say I'm non-discriminatory when it comes to wine. And while I like to try new ones, there's a special place in my heart for old favorites like Sauvignon Republic.

If you haven't heard about this boutique producer, here's the 411. The dynamic foursome behind the project are John Buechsenstein, Chef John Ash, Paul Dolan, and Tom Meyer. Individually they're all heavyweights in the world of food and wine; together they're a force to be reckoned with.

Some might say it's risky to produce only Sauvignon Blanc (from around the world I might add), but I say it's daring and brilliant---and it's at least half the reason I love Sauvignon Republic so much (the other is the taste, of course). You've got to admire a company that walks to the beat of a different tune and happily so.

John Buechenstein is their globe-trotting winemaker, zipping around the world to create Sauvignon Blancs from three unique terroirs all celebrated for their ability to produce top notch Sauvignon Blanc---the Russian River (California), Marlborough (New Zealand), and Stellenbosch (South Africa). Alone they're all superb and ideal food wines; together they're a perfect academic study into regional differences. Why? Sauvignon Blanc picks up characteristics of the terroir in which it's grown, so take a sip and you get a reflection of place----which is kind of romantic in my book. And delicious...

Sauvignon Republic
info@sauvignonrepublic.com
Current vintages of their Marlborough and Russian River are available at select Trader Joe's
$6.99/bottle (a steal!)

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Image via www.sauvignonrepublic.com

If ever there was a treat ripe for a makeover, it was the popsicle. Outdated flavors in neon hues made them decidedly retro, but not in a good way (think artificial flavors and colors, and high fructose corn syrup). They were slated to a life of mediocrity until now...

Behold People's Pops. All-natural ice pops (and shaved ice) made from local, sustainably-grown fruits and herbs. The company whips out unorthodox flavors that light up your taste buds---like blackberry and jasmine, watermelon, cucumber and hyssop (wondering what hyssop is?), and rhubarb and spice. But these are pops for the people, so there's something for everyone. Not a foodie? That's okay. There are more traditional flavors just for you like "straight-up raspberry" and organic lemon.

The dynamic trio behind People's Pops are Nathalie Jordi and her partners, David Carrell and Joel Horowitz. What began as a one-time act of benevolence to support a friend's summer market became a catalyst for an ice pop revolution.

Read a bit of their blog, and you'll want them to be your next Facebook friends. They traverse the world of entrepreneurdom with wit, humor, and a sterling attitude despite getting caught up in a mini-legal drama with Unilever (who knew the term 'popsicle' was trademarked?) and breaking down (often) in their company van. They're certainly the underdogs of the ice pop world, so you can't help but root for them. The fact that their pops are so GOOD doesn't hurt either...

People's Pops
Chelsea Market - Arcade
425 W. 25th Street
NY, NY 10001
people@peoplespops.com
Open 10 AM to 8 PM
About $3.00-$3.50 a pop
You can also find them at Brooklyn Flea on the weekends or check out their Twitter feed for updated locations.
  
**Not in or around New York? Whip up your own Blueberries-and-Cream pops (recipe via Tasting Table).**
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Last week I was in the Bay Area thanks to a $9 flight I snagged on JetBlue.  I saw a lot of friends and ate a lot of really good food, but the one thing I can't stop thinking about is a fresh strawberry-filled donut I devoured during lunch at Napa Valley College's Cooking School (NVCCS). And it wasn't even my donut to devour! It was on my friend's plate, but that's another story.

Lunch at NVCCS is like reality TV meets The French Laundry. If you're lucky enough to land a reservation, ask for a seat in the kitchen---really. Bubbling pots, tantalizing aromas, and the energy of a real working kitchen make this experience like none other. There's even a large mirror perfectly angled for watching students plate your next course.

Needless to say, lunch was amazing---I had a shot of a cool cucumber soup, perfectly cooked asparagus with a fresh poached egg, a sardine crostini---the list goes on. After the fourth course (or thereabout) I stopped counting and entered a state of pure food bliss. 

What made this meal a real standout (aside from that blessed donut) is the school's sustainable practices. From day one students are taught about the  environmental impact of their chosen industry. And the school? It endeavors to reduce its carbon footprint by establishing its own biodynamic system. So composting, recycling, caring for a flock of rare and heritage breed hens, and nurturing a rare-seed organic garden? That's all part of the program. Bonus: I hear that the day's leftovers are sent to a local food bank (although I have a hard time believing there are any leftovers).

Napa Valley College Cooking School
1088 College Avenue
St. Helena, CA 94574
Phone: (707) 967-2900
www.napavalley.edu/cookingschool

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If smell-o-vision existed, you'd probably be drooling right about now.  I know I would.  I'm practically salivating just thinking about Levain's too-good-to-be-true chocolate chip walnut cookies. And I don't even like walnuts!

On a recent trip to New York, a bunch of friends and I schlepped all the way to the Upper West Side just for a cookie---as in a single one. You can't tell from the picture, but that baby is almost a good half-pound (6 oz. to be exact), so sharing is a fine, if not necessary, idea.

My friend, Amy, had been raving about these cookies, but when I entered the shoebox-sized bakery, all I saw were scones. Nope, I was informed. Those were the cookies.

I became skeptical. Not because they were big---lots of cookies are big nowadays, but these were THICK, and like nothing I'd ever seen before (or since). But one bite is all it took.  I don't know how else to describe them except to say that they embody pure deliciousness. Chocolatey, buttery and kind of gooey on the inside, one bite made the sounds of the city go quiet for a few blissful seconds.

The two women who started the bakery, Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes, are surprisingly svelte for owning such an establishment. And they recently won a chocolate chip cookie throwdown against Bobby Flay, so you can just toss that old adage about not being able to trust a skinny cook. Their secret is running and swimming and biking, and lots of it. They're triathletes, so they earn every delectable, calorie-dense bite.

Their secret to a good cookie? They bake everything fresh and on-site every day, and donate the day’s leftovers to charity each night. They make good cookies, but they're good cookies, too!

Levain Bakery
167 West 74th St
New York, NY 10023
T: 212-874-6080 • F: 212-874-6413
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm

OR

Wainscott Village Shopping Center
354 Montauk Hwy • Wainscott, NY 11975
T: 631-537-8570 • F: 631-537-8572
Open seasonally, call for hours

www.levainbakery.com

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Up until now, all I've asked of my breath mints is that they work. I mean, we're talking breath mints, right?  But on a recent trip to my old stomping grounds, I came across Project 7's Heal the Sick Cinnamon Mints.

For a buck and some change, you get fifty tasty mints that come in a clever, recycled test tube-like container. Sure, they did the trick, but here's the real perk---Project 7 donates 50% of their profits to charities supporting critical needs, like HIV/AIDS, immunization relief, rain forest conservation and clean water for those in developing nations, among other things.

And they don't just make mints. There's water, gum, t-shirts---everyday items that you're going to drop some dollars on anyway, so why not make a difference while you're at it.

Heal The Sick Cinnamon Mints made by Project 7
1560 E. Southlake Blvd., Suite 220
Southlake, TX 76092
Phone: 817.488.9777
Fax: 817.421.1229
About $1.89 per test tube
www.project7.com
info@project7.com

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You might think it's ludicrous (or ingenious) to have a line item for chocolate in your budget, but after a quick calculation of our household expenses last year, I deemed it appropriate.

But I knew that a budget alone wouldn't do it; what I needed was a plan. Otherwise I might squander all of my chocolate funds early in the year and run the risk of having to drastically curb, or even eliminate, my cocoa consumption in the 4th quarter of 2010.

While the old me would drop a few hard-earned bucks on one delectable bite-sized treat, the new me would have to do without luxury chocolate...or so I thought.

Enter into any Whole Foods-like market and you'll be astounded by the  variety in the chocolate aisle. Gone are the days when you had to choose between a Hershey's bar or Snickers. Thankfully, chocolate has joined the rank of everyday gourmet foods.

On my last shopping excursion, I picked up a bar of The Tea Room's dark chocolate infused with green early grey tea (delicate and herbal) and Dagoba's "xocolatl" made with dark chocolate, chilies and cacao nibs (spicy, hot and exotic).  

Both companies produce only organic chocolates which makes their confections doubly sweet (the cocoa crop is ranked second in pesticide use behind cotton).  

Other all-time favorites are Dagoba's "chai" bar with essences of chai tea and ginger and Theo's organic coconut curry bar (flavors self-explanatory). 

Dagoba Organic Chocolate
601 22nd Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 866.972.6879
Fax: 415.401.0087
www.dagobachocolate.com
dagoba@worldpantry.com
Dagoba chocolate bars, $3.45 for a 2 oz. bar
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• Full Circle Sustainability™ - Committed to quality, ecology, equity and community

*Some products are certified Fair Trade

Theo Chocolate
3400 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: 206.632.5100
Fax: 206.632.0413
www.theochocolate.com
Theo chocolate bars, $3.25 for a 2 oz. bar
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The Tea Room
110C Mezzetta Court
American Canyon, CA 94503
Phone: 866.515.8855
Fax: 707.561.7081
www.thetearoom.biz
info@thetearoom.biz
The Tea Room chocolate bars, $3.85 for a 1.8 oz. bar
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