best berkeley/oakland source for split peas & other dried beans?

[indigirl]

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or what, but lately it seems to take forever to cook split peas & other beans I get in bulk from Berkeley Bowl. My last pot of split peas took 2 hours to cook, & even then there were still occasional hard peas that we had to spit out. I had just bought the peas a couple weeks ago.

So: What is a reliable source of dried beans, where they have reasonably fast turnover so the stock is fresh?

Either that, or tell me what I'm doing wrong?

-----
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

[The Chowhound Team]

Please discuss shopping sources in this thread; cooking advice is off topic for this regional board. If you wish to discuss the best split pea cooking methods, please start a thread on the Home Cooking board. Further cooking discussion in this thread will be removed.

[mamachef]

Oasis market on Telegraph @ roughly 30th. I haven't been in to actually shop in awhile (I go there for the world's most amazing Manti and Falafel to go), but they did have a good selection of bulk fresh legumes available at the time. Check first.

[indigirl]

Aha, thanks, good point! I love Oasis too but haven't tried their bulk stuff yet. I noticed they have different sizes of bulgur so been meaning to try...

[ML8000]

A pressure cooker can help with speed and done-ness.

[abstractpoet]

I made split pea soup with the peas from BBW recently, no problems. Their turnover is definitely fast.

[indigirl]

Huh.
Did you soak them first?

[abstractpoet]

No soaking--but I think it generally does take at least an hour and a half anyway. Maybe you need to use more water? I haven't had any problems with the other dried beans from the Bowl either.

But like Robert said, you're best asking on the home cooking board for more specific advice.

[indigirl]

Thanks, will consult the other board. But I'm glad to at least eliminate one possible cause of the problem. I did think the Bowl must have high turnover! I mean, if not them, who?!

[Robert Lauriston]

I doubt anybody has faster turnover than the Berkeley Bowl, though who knows how long they've been in the warehouse. Rancho Gordo beans are always from the last year's crop.

The biggest selection I've found is at Milan International.

Cooking techniques, see the Home Cooking board.

-----
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

Milan International
990 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710