Zolfini Beans
Historically grown in the Arezzo province of Tuscany, these small beans get their name from their sulphury yellow hue (zolfo is Italian for sulphur). Zolfini beans have been used as a symbol of resistance to globalization and industrialization of the food system. At the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in 1999, Paolo de Castro, the Italian minister of Agriculture, brought in a bag of Zolfini beans and waved them around to bring attention to the threat that global trade had on cultural tradition and legacy.
Zolfini beans are a staple in my house. They’re so easy to cook, and they are so freaking delicious. You can easily trick your friends into thinking you spent hours slaving over the stove for their benefit. Just follow a few simple steps: first, fill a saucepan with bit of olive oil, some garlic (by that I mean lots of garlic) and some pepper flakes (Boonville Calabrian, obviously). Then, when it’s all golden and aromatic, add a bag of lightly pre-soaked beans into a pot along with a handful of herbs and some water or stock. Two hours of low, slow heat later, and the most delicious, creamy, magic beans emerge. From there, the sky’s the limit: mix them into a soup with veggies and chicken stock, pop a fried egg and a sprinkle of Piment D’Ville on top and you’ve got breakfast, or, most simply, stir in some kale or escarole for the last few moments of cooking, and hit it all with some good quality olive oil. That’s a perfect dinner in my household. Jack (of beanstalk fame) never had legumes so delightful!"
Brian McGinn - Executive Producer/Director of Chefs Table
Brian McGinn
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What’s so special about the chiles you grow?
Compared to what you find at the grocery store, we think our chiles pack tons more flavor, are harvest dated to share how fresh they are, and are made up of just the chile flesh. That’s right - we de-stem each chile by hand! All chiles we sell are made of 100% CA grown chiles from our farm and do not contain any oils, anti-caking agents, gluten, or any other kind of preservative.
Our spices are generally not made from the spiciest peppers you can find. Instead, we focus on flavor-forward varieties to bring both interesting flavors and a bit of heat to your cooking. Sown, grown, and harvested by hand, our small farm works hard year round to bring fresh, flavorful spices to your kitchen.
What’s the best way to store these chiles?
Chile powders, flakes, and whole dried chiles will keep their flavor longest if stored in a cool, dry environment away from heat and direct sunlight. If you keep them next to your stove, make sure they stay out of the sun.
After opening bulk packs of chile powder, empty the package into the smallest size jar that will hold all of the powder and seal with a tight fitting lid.
Dried chiles and powders don’t ever really “go bad” - they just lose their potency and flavor with time.
When were these chiles harvested?
Each chile product is marked by the harvest year either on the sticker closure or on a stamp on the back of the bag. Chiles are harvested each year from September through November.
Why do the chiles I just bought taste different from what I got last year?
That’s agriculture! The heat and flavor of our chiles are determined by weather patterns throughout the growing season. If it’s a super hot summer, the chiles will be spicier. If it’s a cooler summer, you can expect the chiles to be more mild in flavor. If you taste the difference from year to year, that means your palette is intune with our growing conditions.
Can I stop by and purchase things directly from the farm?
If you are in town visiting and want to pick up some of our chiles, it's easiest if you head to the Farmhouse Mercantile, Disco Ranch, Boonville Hotel, or Anderson Valley Market to make your purchase.
If you live in Anderson Valley and want to place an order for pick up, use the code ILIVEHERE at checkout and you won’t be charged for shipping. We will send you an email when your order is ready to be picked up!
What is your shipping and return policy?
Orders are shipped via UPS or USPS. Packages will arrive (generally) in 1-8 days after they ship depending on carrier capacity. Tracking info is emailed on the day the package leaves our office.
If a package is returned to Boonville Barn as "undeliverable" or "no such number", or for any other reason, the order will be refunded minus the original shipping costs, and any extra shipping costs that have incurred.
All orders are packed and shipped from our farm office. If there’s an issue with your order, please take pictures of the packaging/box and reach out to hello@boonvillebarn.com.
We do not accept returns.
If you have any questions or concerns about an order that you placed, get in touch by replying to your order confirmation email and we will help get it sorted.
