There's chili and then there's chili

[plantmom]

I turned some leftovers, plus freshly-cooked dried black beans, into some chili today.  Most of the time that means an onion, some canned tomatoes (or fresh, if they're available), some ground meat, spices.  Well today's batch started with a medium onion, sliced, a can of diced tomatoes, and a half pound each of cooked ground pork, crumbled, plus

Comments

[nentikobe]

*drool*

I am on a quest for black beans here... so far not found, but I WILL PERSEVERE.

And this sounds divine.

[plantmom]

Thank you, honey. Re: black beans, I'm surprised you can't find them. I (probably mistakenly) think of Australia as being the sort of place where ethnicities would be diverse enough that things like black beans would be easily procured.
They are also known as turtle beans, if it helps. Good luck, babycakes.

[nentikobe]

Australia is all those things and more - but I also live in Tasmania - a(n) teensy island south of the mainland Australia, where things must be shipped. Not *quite* the diversity of the mainland, but still many things to be had. (and $19 paperback books... I weep....)

I can find many, many things - usually I struggle with mexican food spices the most - but I have found jalapenos, refried beans, and I have even found cilantro (called coriander) - a replacement for monterey jack cheese has not yet been discovered, and Haas avocados are seasonal and very expensive - but I can get them and that makes me happy. I have not exhausted my black bean search yet.

I can probably order some canned from USA foods.com - a salvation when I need pumpkin for Thanksgiving ($8 a can is worth it once or twice a year) - but I think black beans still may lurk somewhere. I did not know that they were also called turtle beans. I plan to hit a few of the natural stores as well as the resident green grocer, I remain hopeful. :)

[digitalemur]

Do you have any asian grocery shops? They may be helpful for hot peppers and for cilantro. My local Chinese colleagues call it "Chinese parsley," well, except for the one who is allergic to it. I'm going to be planting some this afternoon!

Good luck finding the black beans, I would be quite miserable without mine but of course I live in a place with a large hispanic population so they're easy to find.

[plantmom]

I'm not used to thinking of Buffalo as cosmopolitan, but the truth is, it is. When I think of the variety of grocery shops we have around here it's mind-boggling: Asian, Indian, Hispanic, Italian, Polish, etc. Plus it's not just one of each type, it's several so they have to compete, which keeps prices reasonable.

The older I get the more I love beans of all shapes, sizes and colors. Yummmmmm...