Spring has sprung! We have sun without clouds today! For us, here in the land of grey skies, this is a big deal!

What does it make me think of?

Rice and beans!

What? Ok, maybe not, but what if you spice up the rice, add the beans, add tomatoes and cook them together?

The history of rice and beans dates back thousands of years and spans across many cultures and regions of the world. Rice is a great source of carbohydrates, while beans provide protein and fiber. These two staples are often combined to make a complete meal in the diets of many societies.

Add garlic, ginger, hot peppers and tomatoes and you have a dish that is packed with healthy ingredients, tastes great and is filled with personality!

"Red beans and rice and everything nice." With such a popular saying you would think that this phrase had come up in a zillion movies. We could only think of five movies that mention rice and beans. Can you think of the ones we did? Or more?

Click the recipe link below to see which films we came up with.

See the Rice and Beans with Tomato Sauce Recipe here!

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Jasmine rice or Hom Mali is also known as Thai fragrant rice. It is a long-grain rice variety that was developed in Thailand over 70 years ago.

Its name comes from its color, which is similar to that of jasmine flowers and not from its fragrance. Jasmine rice has a distinct fragrance reminiscent of pandan leaves and popcorn, which is the result of natural aromatic compounds of the rice plant.

There are more than 120 thousand varieties of rice in the world, and Jasmine is one of the most well-known. It is currently our favorite variety at home.

Rue & Forsman has been growing food since 1946. They started growing rice in 1974 and now have over 270 acres of organic rice fields. They use modern technology to create a habitat for migratory birds and an environment for all wildlife to live, including over 100 nesting structures for songbirds, owls, bats, and ducks. Rue & Forsman works with conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy, California Trout, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Rice, like coffee beans or olive oil, is influenced by where it is grown, who grows it, and how it is handled in production. This is why we have Rue & Forsman rices.

Shop Now for Rue & Forsman Sustainably-Grown White Jasmine Rice!

This syrup has one of the most subtle flavors we have ever encountered. If you expect the bold, in-your-face taste of cherry, you would be disappointed. This cherry blossom syrup is for a quiet palate looking for a sweetness with a nice floral presence.

The flavor that cherry blossoms impart are more than subtle; in some ways they are almost nonexistent. Yet when used in the right way the cherry blossoms bloom in flavor.

It's probably unlike anything you've had before. It really is in its own little world. Unlike rose flower water, the flavor is flowery but very light. Dip your tongue into a spoonful and you'll have this wonderful sweet sensation: even the sweetness is mild, and the cherry blossom is there!

You note hints of salt and vinegar, which enhance the cherry essence. Your taste buds send this signal to your brain that says, "Focus on me! This is amazing!"

So sipping it, or dipping your tongue in, might be the best way to enjoy this syrup. On the other hand, if you need another reason or two, think Cherry Blossom Milk (In taste tests it tastes like your memory of strawberry milk only way better.) Or add it to homemade mochi or to the cream in a light French pastry or maybe brushing it on a cake.

It is incredibly delicious!

Keep reading to see some ideas on how to use this quiet, exciting cherry blossom syrup.

Shop now for Sakura Petal Syrup!

This amazing 72% cocoa-content bittersweet chocolate is made from a Grand Cru cocoa bean called Criollo Nacional, with the mark of origin Arriba Mocache, Los Rios, Ecuador.

The cocoa taste is enhanced by the intense coffee and liquorice fragrance that conveys the idea of Arriba to an unforgettable sensuous experience. The traditional gentle processing method, which includes 72 hours of conching, unfolds an intense, dried prune bouquet.

This leads to a long-lasting finish of a light, flowery black-currant note. It is one of the best bittersweet chocolates available to pastry chefs and chocolate makers, and it's great for your deep, dark desserts like Pots de Crèmes!

Shop now for Grand Cru Dark Chocolate (Arriba Bittersweet - 72%)!

Made with organic, roasted cacao nibs, these chocolate bitters deliver a third chocolate element to all those baked chocolate goodies. With just a hint of spice and oak, Chocolate bitters impart the essence of chocolate into any drink - hot or cold. Hot chocolate, chocolate brownies, chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, you name it. But beware - it will also add richness.

Shop now for Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters!

So delicious! Perfect Colomba bread with candied cherries and little bits of chocolate.

Shop now for Albertengo Cherry and Chocolate Colomba!