An Ode to the Fallow Field
I am not one for restriction. I don't typically find value in hard lines or a self-imposed dearth. But so many things in life are unremarkable until they're absent. Like, for example, beans. In college, I learned about crop rotation and keeping a field out of production for a season. The book I was reading said that sometimes the best thing is to give the soil a rest. In the time it's not growing it can rebuild nutrients and come back next season ready to help the crops thrive. It felt like a cheat code; to gain something by doing nothing. Before I knew that gluten was the reason I was getting sick I cut a bunch of other things out of my diet. This list included sugar, onions, broccoli, beans, garlic and so much more. You know what I missed the most? Beans! I missed their texture and the way they soaked up flavors. They're so versatile, and so filling. I knew how to cook them and they were cheap and they were good. I had, in the past year, gotten into the habit of bu...
