Rancho Gordo Whipple Bean

These have quickly become one of the staff's favorite beans. Because they are mild, they're a great canvas for however you want to prepare them. They look very similar to the classic Cargamanto bean from Colombia and they are likely related to the Spanish Tolosana bean from the Basque region. This delicious bean comes with a lot of mystery. We know they've adapted beautifully to the Willamette Valley in Oregon but the question is whether they were brought by pioneers in the 19th century or by an associate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in the 1970s. The only references seem to be from seed companies telling one or the other story. Cooking suggestions: Baked beans, soups, dips, casseroles, pot beans.