I first heard about The Bean Ladies (TBL) at the One of a Kind Show over a decade ago. I miss going there because I always managed to find great gifts for friends and family, and I enjoyed looking at cool food and beverage products.
Back then, TBL only offered soybean products. I remember buying five bags for $25. My favourite was the garlic. It shouldn't be shocking if you've been reading along here. Garlic is my best friend.
Several years later, TBL opened a store in Newmarket. I never made it up there, but it eventually closed down.
I was thrilled to rediscover TBL. Its store is now in Dundas. I wondered whether it was still kicking around and was glad that it was.
I placed an order online. I liked that there was a promotion where if you order five items or more, you get one for free. Additionally, if you order twelve items, shipping is free. I decided to go crazy with thirteen items.
My order ended up with these items:
- Chuckwagon chili
- Double chocolate black bean brownies
- Soybean snacks (sweet chili lime, apples 'n cinnamon, and all dressed)
- Fava bean snacks (jalapeno cheddar, smokey bacon, sea salt, and garlic and sea salt)
My order was fulfilled and sent fairly fast. I got it in two days. Wow!
I recently made the chuckwagon chili. There's a lot of flavour. I found it saltier than what I'm used to. I normally make chili with canned beans. It was different to soak these beans overnight and boil them. If you like the extra couple of steps, this chili box is for you. I was pleased with the end result and the extra steps.
Although I miss the garlic soybeans (they aren't offered anymore), the garlic and sea salt fava beans are equally as yummy. The garlic is strong, which I absolutely love. It's not overly salty, so it's the perfect combination. The fava beans are crunchy and are a great snack. You do need a beverage to wash them down.
I haven't had any of the other flavours yet. I believe that I've had all dressed in the past, but the garlic has always had my heart.
The only downside is that each package is much smaller than what it used to be. When I bought bags of soybeans over a decade ago, each bag was 225 g. These days, it's 130 g per bag. It's sad that you get less for more, but the quality has remained the same. I also feel good about supporting a local Canadian business that continues to endure.
I've never made brownies with black beans before and look forward to giving them a try. I'm glad that this business continues to develop cool products, and is alive and kicking.
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