I didn't know a thing about the Inn at Little Washington in the little village of Washington, Virginia, until I bought their cookbook at a garage sale. Since the mister was raised in D.C., and is a self-appointed know-it-all for all things "East Coast" I asked him if he'd heard of the Inn at Little Washington and he stunned me by saying, "Yeah, I've eaten there...it was once voted the best restaurant within a 150 mile radius of D.C." The man can't remember what size potty pants he wears but he could remember that!
Patrick O'Connell, the cookbook author, calls this recipe My Grandmother's Baked Beans and said he grew up eating them at every picnic and family gathering. Sugar was his granny's secret ingredient and he said "to think of them as carmelized baked beans." Now doesn't that sound good? Well, they are...they are mouth watering good...they are worthy of the 4th of July picnic you're planning and would pack up nicely for your escape to the beach. You must try these beans...they only have 5 ingredients and they're not your average run-of-the-mill baked bean...they're so much better!
White Baked Beans - Liberally Adapted from The Inn At Little Washington Cookbook, A Consuming Passion by Patrick O'Connell
3 cans (14.5 oz.) white beans, such as Great Northern, Cannillini or Navy beans
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and cooked until crisp
1 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Drain beans and rinse with cool water. Place beans in an earthenware crock or bean pot. Stir in sugar, salt and bacon and add 1 cup of water. Top with butter and bake, uncovered, for 3 hours. If the top layer of the beans begins to burn or becomes too dry, cover the pot with aluminum foil. Serves 6.
"They should put expiration dates on clothes so we would know when they go out of style." ~ Garry Shandling
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One year ago today: Chicken Salsa Soup
