Julia Child was said to have ordered this homey vegetarian dish in the 1980s, helping put the restaurant on the map.
It’s believed that in the 1980s, Julia Child ordered Black Bean Chili from Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino, popularizing the dish. The recipe appears in “The New Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook” by Julian Lopez, being published on Feb.
3 by the Collective Book Studio. . Child once ordered the dish while visiting in the ’80s, helping spread word of the restaurant far beyond its home in Mendocino. "The New Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook" by Julian Lopez, to be published on Feb. 3 by the Collective Book Studio, celebrates 50-plus years of coastal California cuisine at Café Beaujolais in Mendocino. The current owner and chef of Cafe Beaujolais, Julian Lopez, includes the recipe in “The New Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook,” which publishes Feb. 3 from the Collective Book Studio. The book chronicles decades of French-inspired coastal Californian cuisine at the restaurant, which opened in 1968. Margaret S. Fox, former owner of the cafe and a contributor to the cookbook, writes: “Surely no old-time Cafe Beaujolais preparation is found in more fans’ freezers around the country than this one, a stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian chili so satisfying and easy to make. To my amazement,when she visited the Beaujolais in the mid-1980s. Topped with grated cheese and served with warmed corn tortillas, it was a healthy, economical meal that we wound up making by the boatload for a very long time once word got out about Julia’s choice.”Sort through the beans and remove the funky ones and the small pebbles. Rinse well. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water until it’s several inches above the top of the beans. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the beans are tender, about 1¾ hours. You will need to add more water if you start to see the beans.When the beans are cooked, reserve 1 cup of cooking water. Drain the beans, then return them to the pot and add back the reserved cooking water. Place the cumin seed and Beaujolais Blend Herbs in a small pan and bake in an oven at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until the fragrance is toasty. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions, green peppers and garlic in the oil with cumin seeds and herbs, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt, until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chiles. Add all to the beans and stir well. To serve, place 1-ounce grated cheese, then 1¼ cups hot chili in a heated bowl. Place a spoonful of sour cream on top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon green onions and place a sprig of cilantro or about ½ teaspoon chopped cilantro on the sour cream. Serve warm.Harriette Cole: When I met his friends, I found out I have a reputation I never intendedDear Abby: I find showering unpleasant, so I don't do it. How do I know if this is problem?Miss Manners: I'm a regular at the hostel, and a new volunteer behaved unforgivably toward meDear Abby: When the neighbors open their garage, we have to fleeCalifornia ranks among worst states to retire in. Here's why Police: Alameda woman was so busy beating her blind teen daughter, she didn’t notice her 3-year-old run into traffic Police: Alameda woman was so busy beating her blind teen daughter, she didn't notice her 3-year-old run into traffic
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