A review by srturner
Bean By Bean: A Cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon

4.0

Growing up in the Deep South beans appeared on my family's dinner table nearly every night. Honestly. Black-eyed peas, lima beans, butter beans, field peas, crowder peas, green beans,, lady peas. However, they dropped off my menus as an adult. Then I heard the author interviewed on the radio. She spoke so lovingly about beans! Listening to her brought back childhood memories of all the beans I grew up eating. I had to have the cookbook. Fortunately, her passion for beans shines throughout the recipes. I read it cover to cover. Not just a cookbook, it is a compendium of lore, trivia, science, literary quotes, song lyrics -- all about the beloved bean. The author's writing is light and conversational. Each recipe has an introduction -- perhaps some regional or cultural background or a little personal history. After reading the intros, I was ready to try the recipe without actually looking at the ingredients. So far, I've prepared four recipes. All of them successful and delicious. The instructions are precise, descriptive and easy to follow.