Tuscan Beans

As a child I used to go to Roger Kaiser's basketball camp. He was an ex Georgia Tech basketball coach, and for 4 consecutive summers I went off to the North Georgia Mountains to learn the fine art of the left handed layup. I have fond memories of the camp, oddly enough none of them have to do a thing really with basketball. What I enjoyed most was fishing. Followed by the pig roast we would have between sessions (for some reason I went multiple sessions (perhaps my mom can explain this )). Last on the list of fond memories was being forced to play baseball. I was terrible at it, hated every second, and the combination was a bad feedback loop indeed. From a culinary perspective there were not many inflection points, minus of course the pig roast. Banana popsicles were right on up there too. I remember my father doing an inspection of the kitchen just before he left and noticed the can opener needed cleaning. I am sure they jumped right on that.

There was one valuable lesson I learned on the bball court that has found its way into many aspects of life. Roger told me once if I was having a difficult time defending my man, I should punch him in the gut, attempting to make it look accidental to the refs, but making sure the opposing player saw the entire play. Of course I would be fouled, the defender would get to take a few free throw shots but then later on I could use the same motions to "fake" a punch to the gut. The defender would hesitate (assumably long enough for me to steel the ball) and since I did nothing would not be fouled. Science has a term for this, Pavlovian Response. If you condition someone that a sequence of events will happen (like making the motions you will punch someone in the gut) the subject will respond. Ah now to the meat of the matter, or really lack there of.

Beans at best are boring. But if your usually season your meat with a bit of sage and then subsequently add some sage and fat (olive olive) to beans your brain thinks your are indeed eating some savory meat, when indeed you are eating beans.

By the way there is a world of difference in canned beans and rehydrating dried beans. Go the dried beans route.

1 bag dried Cannalini beans

1-2 tbl dried sage

olive oil

water