Another Saturday night in
National Baked Bean Month
here a deep breath away from Bean Town.
Random Fun Facts (and/or factoids) :
Boston became Bean Town as a branding ploy in 1907
An article in the April 25, 1907 Boston Globe describes the sticker:
“The sticker is in the form of an irregular seal about 1-3/4 inches in diameter, the lettering and design being in embossed white and the background a brilliant red. In the center of the seal appears a typical Boston bean pot surrounded by two clasped hands, the two signifying the fact that Boston will not only be ready to extend the ‘glad hand’ to the homecomers during the reunion week, but that there will be something more substantial in the way of entertainment than a mere greeting.”
This was not popular in every quarter of the city – beans were seen as being somewhat ‘common.’
And not Boston Common common….
“Boston Common (2014) IMG 2995” by Billy Hathorn – Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Far too ordinary common.
But wait – there’s more……
On August 11-16, 1890, the Twenty-Fourth National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veteran’s reunion, took place at Boston. The Beverly Pottery Company of Beverly, Massachusetts supplied thousands of small ornamental bean pots as souvenirs for the troops, and this helped to make the bean pot a symbol for the City of Boston.
So, it seems that Beverly, Mass and Boston can duke out who was Bean Town first…
Meanwhile in 1910
And this is good old Boston,
The home of the bean and the cod.
Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots,
And the Cabots talk only to God.
-John Collins Bossidy
Sometime in the 1930’s
These little candies – Boston Baked Beans – were available.
Which aren’t beans at all, they’re peanuts (which are legumes, which make them broadly bean family….pretty clever, candy-maker!) and a spicy cinnamon candy coating. These were among my favorites to find in my Trick or Treat bag at Halloween.
In December of 1952,
Boston Arena was the site of the first Beanpot Hockey Tournament
In 1959 The Pot Shop opened on Boylston Street.
No, not THAT kind of Pot Shop…. 
THIS kind of Pot Shop
Vincent Zarrilli, 1959
with THESE kind of Pots. The Official Beanpot of Boston, saith the Chamber of Commerce in 1962.
And last, but certainly not least, THESE Boston Baked Beans….
Unwrapped (Food Network) went to visit here
And one last Boston Baked Bean….
Beans on Toast
Beans and Egg on Toast
My niece has been adding baked beans to her eggs and toast. Beans, not only great for supper, but also great for breakfast!
