The rooti-ti-toots
Some diners find the flatulent after-effects of home-cooked dried beans to distressing to contemplate. A number of years ago, scientiests at the Western Regional Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Albany, California, discovered that dried beans do indeed contain elements some people find difficult to digest. To cope, the human intestimes send out voluminous gasses of protest and rebellion.
Fortunately, however, these same scientists found that about 80 percent of the offending elements are solutble in water. This means that you can soak the beans, pour out the soaking water, and down the drain go most of the undesirable gas producers. Then add fresh water, cook the beans and goodby trouble for most bean eaters.
“But doesn’t this also drain the nutrients out of the beans?” ask some nutritionall anxious cooks. This is but a minimal loss, say the scientists. However, if you are prone to gastric distress and have had to avoid beans, what other choice is there? Besides, if there is some minimal loss of nutrients, simply eat a minially larger serving.
-Julia Child, The Way To Cook
This section first caught my eye with the title. How do you even say that? Rooti-ti-toots? That must be french for the farts. At any rate, please do get a kick out of what the late Julia Child has to say about beans and the effects of consumption.
