Did you know that yesterday was a special day?
It celebrated everything to do with a common foodstuff — and I bet you didn’t even know.
It turns out that January 6 is National Bean Day.
Yes, there is such a thing.
In honour of lima, soy, cannelini and others, there is such a celebration.
But there appears not to be a National Baked Bean Day, which much be an oversight.
The humble baked bean is as much a part of our culture as the full English breakfast it often sits astride or beside (depending on how you like your breakfast).
Many years ago I was arguing with a Frenchman (don’t ask) and he was telling me how delicious cassoulet was and how we English had no idea about food.
He cited the dish, composed of seemingly whatever fatty meat you have to hand, pork skin and haricot beans as the zenith of cuisine.
I must admit I pooh pooh-ed his verdict.
This only enraged him more, causing him to shout the most French sentence ever: “You English with your back-ed beans and your corn-ed beef.”
Get National Bean Day in your diary next year and show my old chum Benoit who really knows how to deal with a legume
