Late March. Northern California. My mother-in-law flew to town and watched our son, as my wife and I spent our first large chunk of time away from him. It was emotional, of course, but he was in great hands. Our vacation got off to a wonderful start. We were delayed by about five hours. How can airline travel be the most efficient and least efficient process at the same time? We connected in Denver then flew on to Sacramento. From there, it was another two hour drive out to our first destination. 13 hours of travel time, but it led to some of the most fun I've ever had. We spent time on the coast eating seafood, walking beaches, and watching beached sea lions. We eventually moved inward and spent some time in Napa and the Napa Valley. We ate and drank our way through northern California. It was a high time.

You're not here to read about how I unwind. You want the beans, damnit.

One day of the trip included my wife and I having a two part lunch. One being from a taco truck in the parking lot of California's Old Glory geyser. Not as majestic, but still very fun to watch. The truck was cranking out some of the best Mexican food I have ever had. We ate there twice. You're still not talking about beans, Messerole. Here we go. Part two of our lunch that day included a stop at Buster's Southern Barbeque in Calistoga, California. This place was super unqiue with indoor and outdoor seating and you could watch their pit master cook over an open fire right outside in front of everybody. It was nearly fast food, too. You ordered what you wanted at a window, and they piled it on and met you at the next window with your order. In and out in minutes. We grabbed a hot link plate with a side of potato salad. And beans? Yes, and beans. These baked beans were served up loose on the plate. There's something fun about that slapdash approach to serving them. However, I'm not one that loves to have their foods touching. That's my problem, not yours. This dish appeared to be a single bean variety and that single bean was cooked down pretty well. Tender, but not overly soft. These beans were served up in a mostly sweet, thick sauce. Unfortuantely, with all that great meat they were smoking, none of it made it's way into the side dish. Nor did any vegetables, or fruit for that matter. I don't want to say they came from a can, but this side was very underwhelming for such a neat restaurant. Just a single bean in a thick sauce. A one trick pony, if you will. 

Ratings (On a scale of 1-5)
Appearance: 2
Flavor: 2
Mouthfeel: 3

Total Score: 7

For what it's worth,
Keef Original Cola: 5

The weather is so infrequent in the Midwest during these transitional seasonal periods. In late February, my family found a mild Sunday afternoon to go for a walk and have dinner. We have a pass to the Blank Park Zoo so we decided to load our son into a stroller and take him through the zoo. There is something wild about starting at a pair of lions who are walking through snow covered ground. The zoo was a delight and we decided to stop somewhere for a drink and a meal. We decided on Exile Brewing Company. They have a nice kitchen, and though their tap selection isn't as numerous as other local breweries, each of their styles is perfectly crafted.

The weather, lions, and beer. What you'd expect from a baked bean blog. Onward.

I ordered a delicious Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich and had it sided with their Tico Time baked beans. Using their beer in a side dish is a delightful combining of both their brewery and kitchen. I paired this meal with a Fernando's Revenge, which is their barrel aged version of their nut brown ale. Wonderful. These beans were delivered in a small ceramic dish, which is very common place. I would have loved it to be a larger dish, as these were pretty great beans. From what I could tell, this was a single bean dish. Though, those beans were cooked to a great consistency. These well cooked beans were served up in a thick sauce that would have allowed you to eat them with a fork. The sauce had a mild sweetness that was balanced well with a tempered heat in the dish. To create some diversity in each bite, the kitchen has included bell peppers, onion, and bacon in this dish. Each of the vegetables are cooked down well enough that you notice their presence but aren't labored with the crunch of an undercooked vegetable. 

Ratings (On a scale of 1-5)
Appearance: 3
Flavor: 4
Mouthfeel: 4


Total Score: 11

For what it's worth,
Taking your child to the zoo: 5