There’s an undeniable satisfaction in cutting the top off a bag of Rancho Gordo beans. Their pristine exteriors gleam from within the package, displaying speckles, “eyes,” and vivid shades that range from rose to deep purple to yellow. It’s candy for chefs – the type of ingredient that immediately inspires the construction of a dish because of the care that has gone into cultivating each bean.
Rancho Gordo’s clear love for legumes inspires a similar level of passion among consumers, many of whom have abandoned the practice of distractedly throwing cans of cannellinis and chickpeas into their grocery carts. There’s a general sentiment that once you’ve gone Rancho Gordo, you can’t go back. A 30,000 person-long wait list for their quarterly bean club attests to that devotion, but the fandom is also painstakingly earned.
To say that Napa-based founder Steve Sando has changed the way Americans view and consume beans is barely grazing the surface of his impact. When he launched Rancho Gordo in 2001 at age 40 it was with a promise to, yes, introduce high-quality, heirloom bean varieties to the world, but that mission was simultaneously backed by a broader intention to preserve the heritage of indigenous American crops. (That mission has since expanded to include Mexico through The Rancho Gordo-Xoxoc Project.) His experiences as an avid home cook and gardener informed his holistic view of how consumer behavior affects the food system and, by extension, the biodiversity of our soil. If a small farmer isn’t growing, say, a Domingo Rojo bean, because there’s no demand or ability for a customer to access it, that seed vanishes.
Suddenly, that 30,000 person-wait list takes on a whole new meaning when seen through the lens of the impact on these small farmers and the health of the land. With every product he’s brought to market – now inclusive of 25 bean varieties, in addition to grains, corn, and more – Steve is showcasing that it is possible to drive change within the agricultural industry.
We’re so fortunate to have Steve and Rancho Gordo in our Bay Area backyard and even more fortunate to have him on our Shift Notes blog today. The man knows his beans. And we’re stoked for you to get to know Steve a little better too.
1. You’ve frequently talked about the a-ha experience of eating your first bowl of Rio Zape beans, an heirloom variety you grew in your home garden in Napa. What’s a recent new or not-so-new-to-you bean that really blew you away?
There’s a Peruvian bean called Caballero, and I was eating a few different varieties I was trying, but most of them were not great, almost like gummy navy beans. Then the Caballero came up, and I remember saying to myself, This is why I do this. It was creamy and rich, almost as if there were heavy cream in it, but I made it my usual way with just onion, garlic, olive oil, and a bay leaf. Who needs yet another white bean? Well, it turns out we all do!
2. Let’s talk more about seed saving and your work to preserve heritage crops both in the U.S. and Mexico. You’ve shared that “creating a market for at-risk crops is the best way to save them.” What do you wish consumers knew about the critical importance of this mission?
Modern agriculture favors big yields and ease of harvesting to flavor and history. They have a role and so do we. And so do consumers. Seed saving is more important now than ever, but so is eating well and being good consumers.
When I first started, people accused me of trying to cash in on the heirloom tomato craze that was happening around 2001. I had had my epiphany about beans, but unless you dug really deep, there were no interesting beans out there. I would sample them at the farmers' markets, and I remember people’s faces and the accusations that I’d made them with chicken stock or a ham bone. Rio Zape is an example of a bean that was not considered commercial, and it wasn’t in many seed catalogues, if any. I remember tasting it and thinking it was nuts that not every single home cook knew about it, and I decided that it would be my mission to save them. Growing thousands of pounds is the best way to ensure that they’re a viable crop and not just nostalgia.
3. Walk us through your "Shift Notes." What's a day-in-the-life like for you?
I love my rural Napa mornings so I get up early but then take hours to get ready. I listen to the news, but for every minute focused on the dreary state of things, I make myself listen to music so that it’s half and half. It reminds you why it’s all worthwhile.
Being a little bit food obsessed, I love planning out meals and dinner parties. I do recipe testing. I pretend to clean the house, and then I go into the office in Napa, often quite late in the morning. If there’s nothing special going on, I can work until late but I try and do a couple of fun things each week, like a dinner out. I think I’m pretty boring on the whole unless I’m on the road and I like that version of me a lot. My jokes are fresher and someone else is doing the dishes!
4. You’re known for advising cooks to “Show the beans who’s boss” by vigorously boiling them for the first 10-15 minutes before reducing the pot to a gentle simmer. Tell us about your bean-making soundtrack. What album (or albums) are you playing while you’re cooking that Sunday batch of beans for the week?
I start Sundays with a hike with a group of friends I’ve known since high school, so if I’m thinking, I’ll soak them while I’m out. If I’m not thinking, I just start cooking. I normally start with classical, and I am nuts for Schubert and piano trios in general. Once the cooking really starts and the espresso kicks in, it’s jazz of all kinds, but mostly Blue Note-era, and the moment it’s a lot of Thad Jones and Art Blakey. But I can also listen to Salsa for hours, and it’s motivational. Most Sundays, I have friends coming over for dinner, and of course, that music is all curated. My joy is imposing my taste on others.
But I love that you asked about music. Music and food are best friends.
5. We always ask our Pasta People to share their go-to pasta dish. What are you making with pasta + beans (aside from pasta e fagioli)?
I love a butter/olive oil mix with disintegrating anchovies. Good parma and if it’s summer, a squeeze of lemon juice. I love making fussy, grand meals, but when the ingredients are excellent, I always prefer the simple. If I had some chickpeas already made, I would toss a few in there. Pasta should be the star.
Bonus Question: In the spirit of Dry Pasta Jan and cooking with pantry staples, aside from beans, what are five products you always have on hand?
Salt-packed capers
Anchovies (I used to only do salt-cured, but there are excellent choices in jars now)
Lots of dried chiles, some rare but good anchos, guajillos, and DeArbol are hard to beat.
Many vinegars, but Spanish sherry vinegar is a current favorite.
My home-cured brined olives from my tree. I have LOTS and try to use them as often as I can.