As is often the case, I found Mexicali Rose's Mom's Best Instant Mexican Homestyle Refried Beans on the Web while I was looking for something else. As soon as I saw the bags and read about these beans, I knew I had to try them. Refried beans are a family favorite; if we could find beans that were even tastier and even easier than our regular canned beans, it would be a real treat.

So I e-mailed Mexicali Rose and asked if I could try their beans. They were delighted to send me a sample package of each of the three varieties they sell. I promised to tell the world (here on Bean Bible) what I thought of the beans.

I like them; I like them a lot. Details follow.

Three Varieties

Mexicali Rose's Instant Refried Beans (to use a slightly shorter name than that on the package) come in attractive, Mexican-looking pouches, as you can see from this picture. The sturdy plastic pouch holds enough to make 26 ounces of beans--a little less than two traditional cans hold. The beans come in three varieties: Regular, 100% Fat-Free Regular, and 100% Fat-Free Black Beans. Yes, the black bean version is traditional refried beans, but made with black rather than pinto beans.

The Mann Family Test

We family-tested these beans on two nights a week apart. I made tostadas, which, for those who don't know, are hard-fried corn tortillas with a layer of refried beans spread on them, topped with grated cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. (Or whatever else comes to hand, of course; this is what you traditionally put on them.) To be good, tostadas must have good refried beans. They're essential, so tostadas are the perfect test for refried beans.

The first night, we made both the regular beans and the fat-free beans and used them on our tostadas. Both were excellent. In fact, we really couldn't tell the difference between the two varieties. We had some left over, which we combined. If you care about fat, using the fat-free version represents no sacrifice at all. It's just as good.

The second night, we made the black bean version. I was really curious to see how black beans would work as refried beans and to see how different the taste would be. They came out darker in color and had that wonderful black bean taste, but they also were unmistakeably refried beans. Again, the beans were a hit in tostadas; this time there were no leftovers.

The first night, I followed the package directions to the letter. One pot of beans turned out somewhat thinner (more runny) than we normally like them. The other was just right. The second night, when I made the black bean version, I used 1/4 cup less water than called for in the directions, and got exactly the right consistency. Had it been a little thick, it would have been easy to cut it with a tiny bit more water. The ability to control the consistency is a big plus for these dried beans.

Did we like them? You bet we did. Are they better than canned beans? Yes. How much better? Well, that's a matter of taste. We liked them better, but not so much that we're going to buy them by the case from El Paso. (They don't seem to be available in my local supermarkets.) If they were available locally, I would definitely buy them instead of the canned beans. (You can order a case of 16 bags for $40 at their website.)

The Mexicali Rose Advantage

Here are the advantages we noticed:

• Excellent flavor; no canned taste.
• Quick and easy to prepare (just add water).
• Light, easy-to-carry packaging.
• Somewhat larger batches; one envelope makes 26 ounces of beans, rather than a normal can's 15 or so ounces.

And, of course, it's always fun to feel special, as if you are treating yourself to something out of the ordinary. These beans are definitely out of the ordinary.

Disadvantages

We could only think of one disadvantage: We can't easily buy them here!

For Further Information...

Mexicali Rose has a website that offers lots more information. Check it out at http://mexicalirose.com/. You'll find a colorful, friendly site that tells all about the beans, includes all the nutritional information (which is impressive--the beans are a truly healthy product), and gives a list of 20 Reasons to Buy Mexicali Rose Instant Refried Beans. You'll enjoy reading the testimonials, too.

Copyright © 2002 Richard Mann. All rights reserved. Please contact the editor for permission to use this article (includes reprints in mailing lists, newsletters, and/or any other purpose/format) and give details of its proposed use. Any and all use of this article in any way without permission is prohibited under copyright law. Acceptable use: Please feel free to link to this page. Of course, you can always print these recipes for your own personal use (that's what they're here for).

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