Heirlooms

Today the Prudent Omnivore is diving into a big box of goods from Rancho Gordo, thinking about the little details that make food taste like real food, not processed junk.

A million years ago (12, actually, but it feels like longer), a cooking/eating/wine-drinking neighbor left a little gift on my front porch: a bag of dried beans.

“I discovered these on a trip,” she said when I called to thank her, “and I think you’ll love them.”

Months later, on a cold and dreary night when I needed to cook dinner but didn’t want to go to…