Pinto Beans

Earthy and nutty, with a mild sweetness that comes through in the broth. Pintos land in the middle of the texture range too: creamy enough to mash, sturdy enough to keep their shape in the pot. That's what you want for refried beans, for frijoles de la olla, and for chili.

Pinto means painted, for the speckled brown markings on the dried bean. Those cook out – in the pot they turn an even pinkish brown and the pattern disappears. Grown in the Columbia Basin in Washington, identity preserved and traceable to the farm.