Beans are having a moment as the economy forces more and more people to find ways to stretch grocery budgets and this cookbook is the perfect introduction to the complicated legume. With explanations of bean types and textures, the cookbook demystifies some lesser known beans and instructs in how to cook them properly. The tips about how much room to leave in the pot, how much time to soak or not soak beans, and how to cook them make the home cook's bean era a bit less intimidating. The recipes span the globe, offering exotic recipes, but also many substitutions as needed.

The Bean Book : 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen. This is definitely a recipe book for all bean lovers out there. It is bursting with all kinds of recipes, even desserts made of beans. And includes beans most people will never have heard about. There are plenty of beautiful pictures and the recipes are easy to follow. A great gift for all bean connoisseurs out there.

I am *all* about beans! They really are the magical fruit. There are a lot of great recipes in here, from many different cultures. There’s Italian, Spanish, Latin-American, Indian, even British beans on toast! The end also has a couple of bean desserts, and I’m excited to try them out.

Try this out in September!

I received a complimentary eARC through NetGalley and Ten Speed Press (thank you!), which did not affect my review in any way.

5 stars

Look, I'm vegan, so beans are an especially vital part of my life. I love cooking with them, eating them, and, it turns out, learning more about them. I discovered that last part while tearing through this fantastic, aptly titled book about, well, beans.

Non-vegans, don't be scared. Most of this book is targeted to your diet. Fellow vegans and nearby vegetarians, rejoice. You'll be able to adapt nearly all of these recipes with minimal effort. I bookmarked over a dozen of them, and most fall into that aforementioned group.

This is an incredibly visually appealing read. Most folks who engage with this book will see and hear about certain varieties of beans for the first time. The ideal scenario is obviously to access these specific beans directly, but even home cooks with less excellent access will be able to find workarounds.

From the appealing photos to the clear recipes to the adaptable content, there's a little something for everyone here. I can't wait to try out quite a few of these recipes!