Brandied Beans

Now, doesn't that sound delicious - brandied beans!  There has been considerable talk in the lab about beans. Indeed some of the research has focused on the healthful effects of various beans. The multiple types of beans found worldwide have also been catalogued for a better understanding of how beneficial and important beans are to local diets by our research students.  But in this case brandied beans has nothing to do with the leguminous ones. These are bean-shaped chocolates that are filled with Weinbrand or German cognac. Hence the name Weinbrand (Brandy) Bohnen (Beans). Fooled you, didn't we?

In Europe especially liquor filled candies are very common.  These "beans" are particularly popular and several brandy companies produce their versions.  Asbach Uralt has a very good selection of loaded pralines.  This version has a dark chocolate outside with a nice dose of brandy inside. Since these have appeared before, everyone now knows you eat the whole thing at once. We still get a kick, however,  out of the novice that takes a bite of half of it then drools the rest of the filling down his shirt.  Although these taste good, they are not recommended if the goal is getting a good buzz on.

The cackle also included the topic of beans as we discussed the recent Harvard Health Letter article about soy.  They were not very supportive of the notion that soy was anything special - blasphemy for those whose research is focused on the beneficial aspects of soy. Their conclusion was that it was a good source of protein but that one could maintain a healthy diet without it.  Gasp!! I better stop here.

We also heard the story of the rectal surgeon with the foot fetish. How creepy does that sound?  We had a good laugh, though!