Beans: A History

Beans: A History
Buy Ken Albala's 'vividly entertaining' history...
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Ali Honour's new book is a brilliant concise guide to beans and pulses of all kinds. Starting with the basics of cooking dried pulses to achieve the best results and sprouting for extra nutrition, Ali goes on to offer a strikingly diverse range of recipes. Ali's journey with beans started as a chef looking for ways to feed people well without wrecking the planet. The more she worked with beans, the more they revealed themselves as reliable, sustainable and full of possibility. They became more than an ingredient – they became the backbone of a better way to eat. Order now and we'll throw in a free £5 gift voucher. |
Beans isn’t just a collection of recipes – it’s also a rallying cry, a love letter, a legume-laden manifesto. It’s Ali’s way of saying look what food can be: humble and hearty, sustainable and sexy.
Whether you’re a seasoned legume lover or just bean curious, this book will show you that beans aren’t just good for you, they’re good full stop.
Ali Honour is a creative force driving a better future through what we eat. She is a chef, food systems disruptor and outspoken advocate for sustainable eating known for turning humble beans and vegetables into culinary and climate heroes. With three decades of experience across professional kitchens, food education and advocacy, Ali blends culinary creativity with deep-rooted purpose to prove that good food can – and must – be good for people and planet.
Trained as a chef and shaped by years working at the intersection of hospitality, food waste and sustainability, Ali is a natural entrepreneur who has run several successful businesses over the years. Ali now leads pioneering zero-waste catering for major events, reimagining menus through a climate-conscious lens, and supports farmers and producers championing regenerative crops. Ali’s work spans grassroots initiatives and global platforms alike, including key role collaborations with the Chefs’ Manifesto and the Beans Is How campaign, the Blue Earth Summit, Dairygold and EUFIC, among others.
A natural communicator and creative problem-solver, Ali brings warmth, wit and rigour to every plate and every project. From public demos to behind-the-scenes strategy, she inspires real change through practical, delicious solutions, leading a bold movement to inspire change. Ali invites us all to rethink what’s on our plate and to embrace a future where food is fairer, cleaner, tastier and pulse-powered too.

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I bought Diversity Blend #0+ Base - Wholemeal Flour for the first time and also purchased a piece of Wholemeal YQ Sourdough Starter just to see if was any different to my own I've been using for years. It came with super clear instructions about how the flour and starter liked to handled. The bread is SO TASTY! its the best I've eaten in years, with such a complex flavour. Thank you. I will be buying more.
This bread is fantastic! Really tasty, I had to stop eating it before I exploded. A great flavour, just a hint of sourness, and brilliant texture. I buttered it easily with no breaking up despite the bread being very fresh. I will definitely be buying again
I have to keep them out of sight and out of reach so I don't eat the whole bag all at once. Seriously, I don't know what it is about them, but they're so good - I regret only getting one bag.
These walnuts may be second grade, but they taste first rate! Very pleased with them.
I’ve never enjoyed a rye bread - usually too heavy and solid, my sensitive gut didn’t like either. I got this out of curiosity as the other breads had run out and the reviews were so good. Is gorgeous - moist but not soggy, well risen, very tasty but not too strongly sour. And my gut is happy despite a little bit of binging :-)