<RJ> wrote:

> That mound of brick-colored mush that appears
> on my plate in Mexican restaurants......
>
> I understand it's cooked, mashed beans
> with spices, and sauteed onions mixed in.
>
> But why lard ?
> Why is it "fried".... or re-fried ?
> ( when would it be re-fried ? )
>
> Do either of these enhance the taste ?
> It's not like they're making fried bean patties.
>
> I've tasted ( Old El Paso ) refried beans,
> both with and without the lard.....
> I couldn't tell the difference in taste.
>
> ??
> <rj>


First, the beans are boiled, then mashed and fried. They are cooked
twice. Lard is the traditional fat. Health concerns drove the US away
from using lard In fact, when I was growing up some 50+ years ago,
donuts were cooked in lard. Many places in Mexico substitute other fats
for lard when making their refrieds.

I haven't seen the OEP with lard in them so cannot comment on the taste.
I have had the non-lard ones and they are boring. But when I run into
refrieds in Mexico the difference is usually quite noticeable.

BTW, adding some instant coffee to a can of refrieds will give them a
deeper, smokier flavor that comes closer to the taste of the larded
refrieds. I read about this sometime back in the late 60s or early 70s
and used Folger's Coffee Crystals. I don't use decaf, so do not know how
that would work.


jim