Dear reader, I am thrilled to present a guest blog today. My friend Kelly (who writes a great blog about life and cycles and living soulfully aware, etc.) agreed to write a piece at Halloween/final harvest time about this meaningful and tasty ritual of making slow-cooked beans. Aside from being an amazing friend who I could not have survived this crazy year without, she is an excellent writer. One who can convey the meaning of personal experience and make it accessible to others to be comforted and inspired by. So, I hope that you will enjoy her Blessed Beans recipe and find in it a blueprint for something you can make your own. I know what I'm making for dinner on Sunday! Happy Halloween, one and all!
Love, Kelly.
The Blessing of the Beans
Today’s American customs for Halloween might include parties, dress-up and lots of sweets, but traditionally this was a feast both in celebration of the final bounty of the agricultural harvest, and in order to honor the dead. Christians continue this celebration the day immediately following Halloween, All Souls Day. In Mexico it is revered as Los Dias De Los Muertes. In many cultures and beliefs there remain reminders that the best way to fully embrace the bounty of life is to include with reverence the cycle of death.
I’m excited, because Halloween falls on a Saturday this year and for me, following the old earth path, I mark this as the end, and therefore the beginning, of my year. It is a time to take stock of my blessings and changes and growth and loss, and to anticipate and set intentions for my year to come. In addition, the full moon is Monday, this is the last of the Harvest Moons, and for me applying esoteric, or personal inner meaning, to outer symbols, well it all-in-all creates a weekend full of the ordinary extraordinary. Or in other words, one of those times imbued with the sacred everyday miracles I so love about life.
Rituals are so important—they connect us to ourselves, and when we choose to share them with one another they connect us to out in to the world, as well. And life is nothing if not infused by us with meaning. I have for a long time marked this special part of the year by making a pot of homemade beans and I am so thankful to Kelly for giving me the opportunity to share this most intimate ritual of mine. She, like myself, has undergone intensely powerfull changes this past year, yet another reason to mark with reverence and passing this time of our lives. I always use black beans, because Halloween is celebrated at night and also because we are entering the season of dark. Also they are my favorite tasting. But use whatever kind you like! Way back a decade or so ago when I first started this tradition I chose beans in general simply because to make them from scratch requires such a lengthy process that it seemed one I could give myself entirely to in a mindful way, and basically to me beans easily symbolized seeds. And this is the time of my year that I am sowing my seeds deep down under in hopes and anticipation of what later will come to grow.
This is one of my oldest and most sacred rituals—one which I have been quietly keeping for long, long time. I soak and bless the beans at various times through out my year prompted by many different reasons, and always I end up connected back in a deeper way to my self. Some years I am more in to it than others, some years I approach the whole thing with such reverence for Life, for just getting to be a part of the Big Mystery, that it’s nothing short of pure merriment and cheer on the inside. Other times it is reserved, like last year, haunted almost. No matter what it is a means of marking a passing, and sharing that marking, engaging with my loved ones in the clean simple power of a ritual of the every day. It infuses my step with belief and love, it sparkles me whole and engages me more fully as a presence in my own sweet world.
This year is one of those Big Mystery reverence years.
To make a pot of Blessed Beans:
-Gather some of the following, according to your personal preference and taste. I do not use all of these ingredients all the time, these are a sample of the variety I use according to my mood (amount given is based on large pot)
*a hearty carcass if you eat meat, like a mostly picked ham or chicken bone. Or broth, if you prefer. Meat stock and/or broth is not at all necessary, tho
*bay leaves
*onion to taste (I like the flavor of one small onion)
*garlic to taste (I prefer two cloves)
*sea salt
*tomatillos (I only use these, and peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and lime when in a mexi-mood but if that is case I use two small tomatillos, two small tomatoes and a pepper each: red and green—usually poblano)
*tomatoes
*cayenne pepper
*vinegar
*peppers: green, red, poblano, jalapeno
*cilantro
*lime
*parsley
*celery
*celery salt
*cocoa
*maple syrup
*cinnamon
*cumin
*turmeric
*thyme
*cheese of your liking
*rice if you want an accompaniment
-For me, the reverence begins immediately. Take some time to quiet yourself and get centered on the task at hand. Give yourself the gift of being fully present and awake, allowing and mindful of the consciousness of life coursing through you. Beans must soak to loosen up and allow for their robust flavor to expand through the release of starch. I usually give enough time to soak my beans over night. As I am preparing them for the soak, I ground myself in the experience of what I am doing: reviewing my year that is coming to an end, the bounty that gave way to these new seeds which I now prepare. I take care to clean and soak the beans with this approach in mind. I do and say and feel what moves me naturally. At times I have sat in long blessing over the soak water, infusing it with reiki and prayers for the people I know I will feed. At times I beam with gratitude over awareness of the fullness of my life, and I fill the water with this thankfulness. At times I have asked the water be like the tears that I cry, meant to cleanse out the old to make way for the new. (If this is your state of mind this year, may you move forward with the axiom we all eventually learn: certainly, the soul would know no rainbow if the eye knew no tears…) Whatever your state when you find your silence and begin this ritual of the everyday, may you go with it, whatever the It within may be….
1. Measure out the appropriate amount of dry beans. A bag is like 89 cents at the grocery store. I am not good at measuring things because I most naturally cook by instinct, smell, and sound (which is why I don’t bake!) but if you’re making an individual amount or single serving, fill a cereal bowl with about as much cereal as you’d eat. Add this same amount for each person you wish to serve. Remember beans are tricky, they grow and almost double in portion from dry to cooked.
2. Cover your bowl of beans so that they are completely submerged in water with about two inches of water on top, too. They will likely soak the water up pretty quick, if so, cover in water again. I soak for a minimum of four hours, but as I said, prefer over night. I have soaked beans for a full 24 hours before and had no problems. If the water becomes bubbly and foamy, this is the starch releasing. The starchy water can be dumped and the beans rinsed using a colander—some people claim this lessens the likelihood of your beans causing gas! If you do dump and rinse, recover with water again until they have soaked for several hours.
3. When done with the soak, drain and rinse your beans thoroughly.
4. Add enough fresh water to a large pot so that your beans will be covered by at least four inches of water. If you are using meat stock it should be well covered by at least four inches as well. If you are using broth go 50/50: half water, half broth. Turn to high. Do not add salt.
5. Bring water to boil. Add beans. Allow water to return to boil. When the water and beans just start a rolling boil, turn to medium. I love the flavor that one to four bay leaves add, depending on the amount of beans you’re cooking. At medium heat when they just reach a simmer I add these leaves, adding too my first intention. (also—purely for flavor purposes, and something that I will do now on because of the symbol that this woman and her home have become for me—at this point I add half to a capful of vinegar, too—which Teena recommended last year at this time in order to make the flavors “pop”. This is an especially helpful tip for lentils/lentil soup.)
Allow the experience to draw you in and move you: I love when the water boils, I love the elemental richness, the fierceness of what happens when we add fire to something. This is life to me, never-ending. I love to stand over and bless my beans, bless my life, my seeds and the seeds of all of those whom I love. As the beans sit and the process of slow-cooking unfolds, I add various spices and flavors at intermittent times through out the simmering process, sure to infuse each spice with a blessing, or with thanks, for what I have grown or lost, or intend to manifest…It is a slow and soothing process during which I recount over the waters and fire and matter and air and Mystery the whole of my bounty, and from that awareness find clarity to add to the intentions for the year to come, the seeds which my soul is signaling it means to grow.
6. After about 30 minutes to an hour (depending, seriously, on if you have electric or gas burners—I find certain gas burners cook way quicker) I add my onions and any other vegetable I may be using (see # 10 for variation.) Fifteen more on medium, then I turn my beans to low and put a lid on. (If you have the time, let your beans slow cook on low. If you don’t, cooking them on medium the whole time will easily do.)
7. Keep an eye on the water amount, if it is getting low boil a couple of cups in a teapot and add the boiling water to your pot. If you choose to do your beans over medium you may need to add hot water more than once.
8. Now’s the fun time. Remaining mindful of this ritual and working to be in a present, sacred mindset, I begin to add my intentions, gratitudes, hopes, dreams, prayers. I like to add cayenne for fire and passion (I am specific about where I’d like the focus to go), maple syrup (half a cap-full!) or a sprinkle of cinnamon for the sweet things in life (too much sweetness ruins the taste to me tho so watch out, I like just a hint around the edges), a touch of cocoa (this really adds to a robust, almost smoky flavor if in excess) for richness. This year’s beans will include turmeric, cumin and celery salt because I’ve come to love and crave these combos of flavors, and these spices usually are when I add intentions towards reverence, mystery, awe, enchantment, etc. As I add these spices one at a time, I also just go with whatever moves me: often I am bursting at some point with love or happiness or thankfulness or anticipation or nervousness about certain people or circumstances, hopes or ambitions—I frame these in a thankful, aware manner happy to add to my harvest feast.
9. As water begins to decrease, check your flavor. Add spices to taste. Remove meat stock (the bone anyway) after about two hours.
10. It is good to remember that beans prepared from the dry state tend to require more spices than average, and as the beans soften and release flavor and starch, the water will thicken. This is especially true for beans of the red or black variety, as well as pintos or green lentils. Not enough spice will come out bland, so just keep tasting to see if you like what it is you’re cooking up!
10. Garlic should be added in the last hour to maintain flavor. This may be the case, according to preference, with onions and other veggies, as well. Slow cooked gives a deeper oniony flavor to me. Last hour onions are more crisp and light, same goes for the rest of the veggies and this can be an especially nice compliment when garnished with fresh, raw diced veggies like a homemade pico de gallo.
11. Salt should be added to taste in the last hour as well.
12. This year I am not in the mood for veggies or meat but likely will add onion, and maybe tomatillos which add a vinegary flavor to me. In all, beans should simmer on low until tender and melty, usually a good three to four hours. I like mine with enough liquid left to sort of solidify the mix but not enough to make it soupy. Don’t be afraid of adding water if they are not the desired softness and don’t be afraid of experimenting with flavors. When this year’s batch is fully cooked I’m looking forward to topping with fresh cut cilantro and green onions, and shredded jack or sharp cheese, and serving over rice. Also, beans always taste better to me after a night in the fridge, too…
May your harvest be plenty and your blessings and gratitude overflow! Blessings in the year to come and Happy Halloween!
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