I remember one August, searching for tomatoes. Napa, a region celebrated for its agriculture, surprisingly offered only hothouse tomatoes from Holland. To make it worse, these tomatoes were hard, pale pink, and nothing like the ripe, juicy tomatoes I craved. This frustration sparked my journey into growing my own tomatoes, which unexpectedly led me to beans.
My first heirloom bean harvest was Rio Zape. They were beautiful and easy to cultivate, but I was uncertain what to expect when cooking them. They resembled the pinto beans I enjoyed, but offered a far richer experience. Hints of chocolate and coffee mingled with an earthy texture, creating a flavor that truly captivated me. I was amazed by Rio Zape and the other heirloom beans I started growing, and puzzled why they remained such a well-kept secret. I decided to share these beans at the farmers market, starting with a simple setup on my kitchen table. Soon, my operation expanded to a warehouse, more markets, and even mail order. It became clear I had tapped into something significant. People resonated with the idea that heirloom beans were worth preserving, growing, and cooking. Today, our warehouse, retail shop, and offices are located in Napa, California, and we’ve become a popular stop on wine country tours.
My agricultural endeavors are rooted in my passion for cooking and the frustration of not finding quality ingredients, especially those native to the Americas. One of the initial appeals of beans was their indigenous American origin. It strikes me as essential that these native ingredients should be widely known and readily available. As American cuisine undergoes a reinvention, I am eager to incorporate ingredients, traditions, and recipes from both North and South America. I am drawn to the concept of The Americas, believing its culinary heritage is as vital as the European traditions many of us share.
You can delve deeper into the Rancho Gordo story here.
