Buy now
We've teamed up with Hodmedod on shipping of our orders - click above to order. If you opt in to marketing when ordering you will also be subscribed to the Heirloom Bean Co newsletter.
Click here to read about our visit to the farm in Hidalgo where these fabulous heirlooms are grown!
San Franciscanos are Mexican heirloom beans with lovely swirled markings that soften to a warm, even tone when cooked. Their taste profile takes in hints of cocoa, grain and soft nuttiness, and their creamy interior holds its shape well. They work in tomato braises, olive‑oil stews, warm salads and simple pots finished with citrus or herbs.
KITCHEN SUGGESTIONS
They’re excellent simmered with tomatoes, garlic and a splash of wine until the broth turns velvety, or cooked gently with shallots, olive oil and lemon zest for a lighter dish. Try them folded into warm salads with roasted squash or peppers, or stirred through grains with herbs and mustard. They also shine in brothy soups with greens, or served simply with olive oil, black pepper and a touch of vinegar to bring out their quiet cocoa‑nut character.
COOKING THESE BEANS
Look over the beans to remove any stray bits, then rinse well. In a heavy pot, gently cook your base vegetables - onion, garlic, celery, carrot - in a little olive oil until fragrant. Add the beans and pour in enough water to cover them by roughly 5 cm. Bring to a strong boil for 10–15 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a slow, steady simmer, partially covering the pot to keep the temperature even, and cook until the beans are fully tender, usually 1–3 hours. Add salt once the beans begin to soften. A short soak of 2–6 hours will help reduce the total cooking time.
Our tasting notes: Delicate, savoury‑leaning flavour with a mild richness
Similar to: Rio Zape, Flor de Mayo, Cranberry
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: Mexico
Sold in resealable 500g bags
We’re pleased to announce that all our Mexican beans are fairly traded, following an agreement signed during The Heirloom Bean Co’s tour of the farms that grow them last year.
Farmers are increasingly reluctant to plant heirloom varieties: they have a longer growing period (things can/do go wrong with the weather), and local consumers are reluctant to pay more.
Advance payments (as on offer from our supplier) are only half the story: we met one farmer whose field and its bean crop was simply washed away in a freak storm, which made repaying an advance hard.
Under our agreement, The Heirloom Bean Co pays 15% on top of the farmgate price for beans. This money goes into a separate bank account and acts as an ‘insurance’ for crop losses which are no fault of the farmers.
Buy now
We've teamed up with Hodmedod on shipping of our orders - click above to order. If you opt in to marketing when ordering you will also be subscribed to the Heirloom Bean Co newsletter.
Click here to read about our visit to the farm in Hidalgo where these fabulous heirlooms are grown!
San Franciscanos are Mexican heirloom beans with lovely swirled markings that soften to a warm, even tone when cooked. Their taste profile takes in hints of cocoa, grain and soft nuttiness, and their creamy interior holds its shape well. They work in tomato braises, olive‑oil stews, warm salads and simple pots finished with citrus or herbs.
KITCHEN SUGGESTIONS
They’re excellent simmered with tomatoes, garlic and a splash of wine until the broth turns velvety, or cooked gently with shallots, olive oil and lemon zest for a lighter dish. Try them folded into warm salads with roasted squash or peppers, or stirred through grains with herbs and mustard. They also shine in brothy soups with greens, or served simply with olive oil, black pepper and a touch of vinegar to bring out their quiet cocoa‑nut character.
COOKING THESE BEANS
Look over the beans to remove any stray bits, then rinse well. In a heavy pot, gently cook your base vegetables - onion, garlic, celery, carrot - in a little olive oil until fragrant. Add the beans and pour in enough water to cover them by roughly 5 cm. Bring to a strong boil for 10–15 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a slow, steady simmer, partially covering the pot to keep the temperature even, and cook until the beans are fully tender, usually 1–3 hours. Add salt once the beans begin to soften. A short soak of 2–6 hours will help reduce the total cooking time.
Our tasting notes: Delicate, savoury‑leaning flavour with a mild richness
Similar to: Rio Zape, Flor de Mayo, Cranberry
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: Mexico
Sold in resealable 500g bags
We’re pleased to announce that all our Mexican beans are fairly traded, following an agreement signed during The Heirloom Bean Co’s tour of the farms that grow them last year.
Farmers are increasingly reluctant to plant heirloom varieties: they have a longer growing period (things can/do go wrong with the weather), and local consumers are reluctant to pay more.
Advance payments (as on offer from our supplier) are only half the story: we met one farmer whose field and its bean crop was simply washed away in a freak storm, which made repaying an advance hard.
Under our agreement, The Heirloom Bean Co pays 15% on top of the farmgate price for beans. This money goes into a separate bank account and acts as an ‘insurance’ for crop losses which are no fault of the farmers.
