Angela Alvarez2010 Tracy Bean Festival Queen

Age: 12

School: Seventh grade, Williams Middle School

Extracurricular activities: Dancing, singing, camping

Parents: Rachel and Albert Moreno and Francisco and Marivel Alvarez

Favorite subject in school: Science

Volunteer work: Vacation Bible Camp teacher’s assistant, Brighter Christmas

Hobbies: Dancing, singing, art activities, reading

Favorite movie: “Twilight Saga: New Moon”

Favorite actress: Victoria Justice

Our Town: Why did you enter the Bean Queen contest? Angela: “For the opportunity to represent my community, to make new friends.”

OT: What did you get out of this experience? Angela: “Made many friends, public-speaking experience.”

OT: Where would you like to go to college? Angela: “I’m interested in so many different subjects, I haven’t decided.”

OT: What would you like to study in college? Angela: Science.

OT: What kind of career are you interested in? Angela: “I’m not exactly sure because of the many interests that I have.”

2 | FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010

For kidsChildren at the 24th

annual Tracy Dry Bean Festival will have their own special area to act like kids this weekend, in addition to a separate carnival area.

It will be the fourth time the Kids BE’AN Kids area, sponsored by Child Development Centers, will offer hands-on bean-related activities for youngsters of all ages.

Boys and girls will be able to enjoy an interactive play area that includes a bubble station, bean toss and face painting, along with activi-ties that include decorating masks, visors, maracas and frames with beans.

The Jefferson 4-H Club will help kids plant their own beans, and little ones can hear bean-themed stories, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, in the story time area.

Children can also mix and explore textures with dough.

The Kids BE’AN kids craft area will be at the corner of West 10th and B streets.

Meanwhile, at the corner of Sixth Street and Central Avenue, a carnival filled with jumbo slides, water games and mechanical rides, such as a tea cup ride and dune buggy ride, will pop up. Food vendors selling treats like hand-dipped corn dogs, cot-ton candy and soft-serve ice cream will also be on hand.

For chefsBean recipe aficionados

will face off in the traditional Tracy Dry Bean Festival Chili Bean Cook-off on Sunday, Sept. 12.

The stoves will be fired up at 10 a.m. on the Bean Block, on Central Avenue between 10th and Ninth streets in downtown Tracy. Cooking ends at 1 p.m., and the judg-ing begins at 1:30 p.m.

Participants will receive 3 pounds of beans, includ-ing Jacob’s cattle, cranberry and European soldier beans. Pacific Grain and Foods LLC of Fresno — whose wares will also feature prominently in the nearby Bean Town Pavilion — will donate the beans for the competition.

In addition, the participants can add their own beans and other ingredients, such as meats, vegetables and spices, but all ingredients must be added in view of the judges. The contest chairman must approve all beans and fixings when participants check in.

Mayor Brent Ives and two guest judges will taste the entries and choose the win-ners of the competition.

The winner will be announced at 4 p.m. on the stage at the Central Avenue-and-11th Street entrance to the festival.

The first-place winner will receive $300. Second- and third-place chili cooks will receive trophies.

All entries to the cook-off will be served to the public at about 2 p.m. Sunday free of charge, until the beans run out.

What’s happening?

Tracy’s royaltyKayla McGuinness2010 Miss Tracy Centennial

Age: 13

School: Eighth grade, Williams Middle School

Parents: Michael and Reiko McGuinness

Extracurricular activities: Drama, choir and dance

Favorite subject in school: Advanced science

Volunteer work: Brighter Christmas and Because of Marcus

Hobbies: Singing, acting, drawing, writing, reading, playing the piano, learning Japanese, and video games

Favorite movie: “Pride and Prejudice” (American version)

Favorite actress: Kristin Chenoweth

Our Town: Why did you enter the Bean Queen contest? Kayla: “I have had so much fun competing in the pageant that I wanted to do it again.”

OT: What did you get out of this experience? Kayla: “I made new friends, and I learned a lot about the history of Tracy.”

OT: Where would you like to go to college? Kayla: Juilliard.

OT: What would you like to study in college? Kayla: Theater, music and dance.

OT: What kind of career are you interested in? Kayla: Broadway.

Marissa Peinado2010 Tracy Bean Festival Princess

Age: 9

School: Fourth grade, Bohn Elementary School

Parents: Mike and Angie Peinado

Siblings: Marcos Daniel Peinado

Pets: Three dogs — Copper, Penny and Storm

Favorite color: Green and blue

Favorite food: Pizza, because it’s cheesy

Favorite things to do: Sing, dance, swim

Favorite TV show: “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (when Mom allows it)

Our Town: What do you want to be when you grow up? Marissa: Meagan Fox (a movie star)

Kaitlin Cuevas2010 Miss Junior Tracy Centennial

Age: 10

School: Fifth grade, Tracy Learning Center

Parents: Suzanne and Rod Cuevas

Siblings: Brittany, Matthew and Stephen

Pets: A dog, Hercules; a cat, Dutches; a gecko, Toby; and some fish

Favorite color: Pink and purple

Favorite food: Mac-and-cheese and pizza

Favorite things to do: Dance, gymnastics, camping, boating, inner-tubing

Favorite TV Show: “Wipeout,” “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “Jonas L.A.,” “iCarly”

Our Town: What do you want to be when you grow up? Kaitlin: “I’m not sure. I have a lot of time to decide, because I am only in fifth grade. I might change my mind. I love to help animals who do not have a home and might be hungry. I also like the zoo, because all the animals are so cute. I like to help my mom around the house, and I like all the special things she does for us, so I know I want to be a mom someday and some other things, too.”

Isabella Faria2010 Tracy Dry Bean Festival Little Sprout

Age: 4

Parents: Herberto and Amber Faria

Siblings: Jazlyn and Christian Austin

Pets: Two cats, Puffin and Holly

Favorite color: Pink

Favorite food: Pão con queijo (bread with cheese)

Favorite things to do: Play dress-up and color

Favorite TV Show: “Upside-Down Show”

Our Town: What do you want to be when you grow up? Isabella: A ballerina.

Mariah Bogetti2010 Little Miss Tracy Centennial

Age: 4½ years old

School: Kindergarten, Monticello School

Parents: Brandon and Jennifer Bogetti

Siblings: Hayley Bogetti

Pets: Papa’s cows

Favorite colors: Pink, purple and red

Favorite food: Pizza, bacon and waffles

Favorite things to do: Go to the park and go camping

Favorite TV Show: “iCarly” and “Victorious”

Our Town: What do you want to be when you grow up? Mariah: A teacher.

Meet

FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010 | 3

The star of the show

Our Town

Beans are once again at the literal and figura-tive center of the Tracy Dry Bean Festival.

Just south of 10th Street on Central Avenue, the Bean Town Pavilion’s open awnings will welcome both Bean Fest veterans and newcomers with the sights, sounds, stories and tastes of the legumes honored for 24 years in Tracy’s annual festival.

Back for an encore at the pavilion will be seven

dishes featuring beans cooked up by Hometown Buffet. A flight of seven tastings will be $7, and a taste of bean ice cream — a specialty treat as good as it sounds odd — is thrown in free for dessert.

Also returning to the big tent are the specialty beans of Rhodes-Stockton Bean Co-op and Pacific Grains, as well as the rare legumes of Trinidad and Benham.

Beans For Health, a feature detailing the numerous bodily benefits of eating beans, and

the popular bean pies — they usually sell out the festival’s first day — are back, too.

Bean Town isn’t exactly the same as last year, however. For the first time, a bean theater will show films explaining how the beans celebrated by the festival are grown, processed, shipped and used. Whole Foods Market will also make its bean fest debut with a display that features bean-based cereal in, believe it or not, chocolate and caramel flavors.

Main Stage — 10th Street and Central Avenue

Saturday10 a.m.: Welcome by Mayor Brent

Ives and 9/11 memorial11 a.m.: Tony Thorr12:30 p.m.: Six String rock

cover band3 p.m.: Network5 p.m.: Latin Essence

SundayNoon: Rumors2:30 p.m.: Fabulous Left Overs

classic rock4:30 p.m.: Adam D. Tucker, Tim

McGraw tribute band

Multicultural Stage — 10th and A streets

Saturday11:30 a.m.: Filipino American

AssociationNoon: Hula Ikaika Ohana O

Kaawai12:30 p.m.: Streams in the Desert1 p.m.: Lokes Looks2 p.m.: The Jali2:30 p.m.: Children’s Dance

Theatre4 p.m.: Punjabi Culture Club4:30 p.m.: Zumba5 p.m.: Red Circle

Sunday11:30 a.m.: Dueling Swords12:30 p.m.: Skeured Pretense1 p.m.: Ballet Folklorico2 p.m.: James Reed’s Tae

Kwon Do2:30 p.m.: Children’s Dance

Theatre3:30 p.m.: Irish dance and bagpipe4 p.m.: Cultural Punjabi Society4:30 p.m.: Zumba

The Great Plate Stage — Eighth Street and Central Avenue

Saturday11 a.m.: Threshold1 p.m.: Karaoke with VJ The Riz3:30 p.m.: No Drama5:30 p.m.: LED A Tribute to Led

Zeppelin

Sunday11 a.m.: Full Circle1 p.m.: Karaoke with Katie &

Pizza Challenge4 p.m.: Deadman Band

Bean Sprout Stage — Sixth Street and Central Avenue

Saturday10:30 a.m.: Queen and princess

performances11:45 a.m.: Triple Threat

Performing Arts12:45 p.m.: Juve Quntina1:30 p.m.: Bailey Poole1:45 p.m.: Cicily Lee2 p.m.: Art of Dance2:45 p.m.: Bernadette Voc

students3:30 p.m.: Monte Vista jazz band5 p.m.: TBA5:30 p.m.: TBA6 p.m.: Façade

Sunday10 a.m.: Praise band11:15 a.m.: Queen and princess

performances12:30 p.m.: Quinto’s Martial Arts1:15 p.m.: Jeff Stiffler1:45 p.m.: Tino2:15 p.m.: Deborah Skinner3 p.m.: James Reed’s Tae

Kwon Do3:30 p.m.: TBA4 p.m.: TBA5 p.m.: Main Street Music Jr.

Jazz Band

Elsewhere at the Tracy Dry Bean Festival

Saturday6 a.m.: Bean Run registration

opens (near City Hall)8 a.m.: Bean Run participants

take off

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Show ’N’ Shine Car & Bike Show

SundayStarting at 10 a.m.:

Chili bean cook-off

At the heart of this year’s Tracy Dry Bean Festival is a booth dedicated solely to beans

Festival lineup

Our Town file photo

Name that bean

First row: Adzuki, Cannellini, Provence, AppaloosaSecond row: Black Rice Bean, Snowcap, French Navy, Scarlet Runner

Third row: Moccasin, Jackson Wonder, Tongues of Fire, White Rice BeanFourth row: Black Turtle, White Emergo, Dapple Grey, Green Rice Bean

ANSWER KEY

Bean Degassing Recipe� Select a pot large enough to hold at least three or four times the volume of beans comfortably. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Pick over the beans to remove pebbles and unsatisfactory ele-ments. Wash the beans and add to the boiling kettle.� Boil for two minutes.� Remove from the heat, cover

and let beans rest for one hour.

Drain and discard the water. Lentils need only rest for a half hour. (The traditional cold water soak overnight, or adding baking soda, is not effective, according to the latest research.)� Add fresh water or chicken/

meat broth to cover beans by two inches, and continue cooking on the stove top or in a crock pot, following any recipe.

Soldier SaladCourtesy of Boutique Bean Pot and Pacific Grain & Foods

These white beans with markings reminiscent of a soldier’s silhouette are among the featured legumes in this year’s Tracy Dry Bean Festival chili cook-off.1 cup degassed cooked European

soldier beans, drained1 cup cooked basmati or long-grain rice, drained1 carrot, thinly sliced½ cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ cup zucchini, thinly sliced¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced½ cup olive oil1/3 cup white wine vinegar1 teaspoon ground cinnamonSalt to taste1 teaspoon A&D Seasoning, added to beans during coolingIn a medium bowl, mix beans, rice,

carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, pars-ley and garlic. In a smaller bowl, blend together the oil, vinegar and cinnamon, salt to taste, and then gently toss the dressing with the bean mixture. Serve at room tem-perature. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Taco Soup

Courtesy of Mike Shibley, a Tracy resident

since March 1993

1 or 2 cans Mexican-style chili beans

2 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 can (16 oz.) diced, peeled tomatoes

1 pound ground beef, browned

1 package taco seasoning

1 cup of water

Open all cans and empty into large pot. Add

ground beef and taco seasoning and stir well.

Cook until hot. Add a little water if the soup

is too thick.

Spice it up with your favorite hot sauce if

desired, and serve with tortilla chips or

rolled-up flour tortillas.

3-2-1 Slow-Cooker Chili

Courtesy of former Tracy resident Tonya (Luiz) Kubo

This chili was designed to have easy-to-

remember proportions, so there’s no need to

consult a recipe when you’re pressed for time.

Because most ingredients are canned, it takes

about 15 minutes to prepare and is perfect for

anyone on the go.

3 small cans of beans, drained and rinsed

(try black beans, garbanzo beans and red

kidney beans)

2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (7 oz.) can diced green chiles, drained

1 medium red onion, diced

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder or granulated garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

Dump all ingredients into a slow cooker and

stir well to combine. Cook on low 8 to 12

hours. Serve with cornbread or crackers and

grated cheese.

White Bean Soup with Kale

Courtesy of former Tracy resident

Tonya (Luiz) Kubo

This recipe is time-consuming but

worth it. When pumpkins are not in

season, try using orange sweet

potatoes or butternut squash instead.

½ tablespoon canola oil

2 cups cooked white beans

1 onion or leek (white part only),

chopped

1 tablespoon or 1 cube of frozen pesto

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tablespoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

2 to 3 cups shredded kale leaves

3 to 4 cups bean liquid or

vegetable stock

1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and

cut into ¾-inch chunks (about 2 cups)

Fresh lemon juice

Wash kale and strip leaves from stalks.

Save stalks for your next batch of

homemade stock, stack up leaves and

then chop into bite-sized pieces. Heat

oil in a large soup pot over medium

heat. Add onions, sauté for about 10

minutes, until softened and translucent.

Add garlic, curry and cumin and cook

another 2 minutes. Add cooked beans,

pesto, pumpkin, kale and liquid. Bring to

a boil, reduce heat and add salt to taste.

Cook about 20 minutes, until pumpkin is

tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add

lemon juice just before serving. Serves 4.

4 | FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010

Mixed Bean Summer Salad

Courtesy of the Tracy Chamber of Commerce

Either fresh-cooked or canned

beans may be used for this bean

salad, which is ideal for summer

picnics and cookouts.

3 cups or 2 (16 oz) cans garbanzo

beans, cooked and drained

3 cups or 2 (16 oz.) cans red kidney

or pink beans, cooked and drained

2 cups or 1 (16 oz.) can large white

lima beans, cooked and drained

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 tablespoon A+D seasoning

¾ cup crumbled feta cheese

2/3 cup juice from a jar of

sweet pickles

Begin by preparing a clear sweet-

and-sour dressing for the salad:

Thoroughly mix sugar, cornstarch

and seasoning in a saucepan. Add

half a cup cold water and sir until

smooth. Gradually stir in 1½ cups

boiling water. Boil, stirring constant-

ly, 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and

clear. Blend in pickle juice. If more

is needed, blend in wine vinegar to

make up the right measure.

Mix beans in a large bowl. Add dress-

ing, either hot or cold, and mix gen-

tly. Taste for salt, then cover and chill

overnight or longer. To serve, drain

off excess dressing, empty beans

into a deep platter and garnish with

lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and

onion rings. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

By Sam MatthewsOur Town

The return of the Bean Run to the Tracy Dry Bean Festival this year builds on a run-ning tradition that was started during the first bean fest in 1987.

Called a “Fun Run,” the inaugural race was over a 3½-mile course through the streets of south Tracy. It attracted 257 run-ners ranging in age from 6 to 63.

Richard Soto, organizer of the Fun Run for the sponsoring Tracy Latin Athletic Club, said in 1987 that the event was aimed at attracting a wide variety of participants.

“We wanted something that would bring out a lot of local people who are not neces-sarily avid runners,” he said.

Soto explained that the name of the first event was selected because the course hadn’t been measured to be exactly 5 kilo-meters in length.

And while it did attract many runners

of average and less-than-average ability, the winner turned out to be a world-class competitor.

Tom Gruber of Sunnyvale won the race at what was described as “a blistering pace” in 16 minutes, 2.2 seconds. He finished more than a minute ahead of his nearest competitor.

It really wasn’t too surprising that Gruber won the race in a time that was equivalent to running a mile in 4 minutes, 34.9 seconds.

He was a three-time All-American steeplechase runner for Humboldt State University before graduating in 1983. Taking part in the Tracy race was just part of his training for a berth on the 1988 U.S. Olympic track and field team.

The first woman finisher, however, was a local runner.

Consuelo Garcia, an 18-year-old sec-retary at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, finished in 20:46.0.

John Pierson, 28, an avid local runner who before the race was considered a pos-sibility to finish among the leaders, finished 16th in 19:24.5.

Of the 257 runners starting the race, 239 completed the 3½-mile course. The last finish-ers were clocked at more than 41 minutes.

Trophies went to the first three finish-ers in the men’s and women’s divisions. The first 500 finishers received festival T-shirts and free admission to the festival area in downtown Tracy.

The “fun run,” which was kicked off at 8:36 a.m. Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 1987, at the corner of Ninth Street and Central Avenue, was the first part of the inaugural bean festi-val, which turned out to be a successful two-day event that attracted some 18,000.

This year’s revived Bean Run on Sept. 11 will have 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer races starting in Tracy Civic Center.

Soto was recruited to be chairman of the

first run in 1987 because of his experience as a runner, beginning as a miler at Tracy High School. He later became competitor in a number of 5K and 10K events while attending college and serving in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam.

“I had to work hard to get the word out about the first Tracy event by passing out fliers at other runs in the area and mak-ing contact with Runners magazine. It turned out we had good participation,” he said recently.

Soto, now a Stockton resident, said he chaired the first five runs, which were called Bean Runs and featured 5K and 10K events.

Although encouraged to hear that the Bean Run is returning to the Tracy Dry Bean Festival, Soto said he won’t be among the competitors.

“My back has given me major problems, so my running days are over,” he said.

Herbed White Bean SpreadThis versatile, Mediterranean-inspired bean puree works equally well on a sandwich, as an appetizer or served with wedges of bread and a green salad as a light meal.

2 cups cooked white beans, any size, or 1 (16 oz.) can, drained and rinsed1 medium head garlic½ cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste2 or 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely choppedFresh basil, torn or cut into small pieces, to tasteSalt and pepper

To prepare the roasted garlic: Remove the papery outer layers from the head, then slice off the top quarter- to half-inch and drizzle the exposed cloves with olive oil. Enclose in foil and bake at

400°F about half an hour, until soft and aromatic. Let cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins.Combine the roasted garlic, beans, lemon juice and oil in a mixing bowl or food processor. Mash or blend until

fairly smooth. If the spread is too thick, add a little water. Stir in herbs, and sea-son to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve on crusty bread or as a dip for vegetables or pita chips.

Bean Run makes a comebackPress file photo

MAD DASH TO THE FINISH LINE: It was off and running at the corner of Ninth Street and Central Avenue for 257 runners in the 3½-mile “Fun Run” that kicked off Tracy’s first bean festival in 1987. The run returns this year.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010 | 5

Herbed White Bean Spread

This versatile, Mediterranean-inspired

bean puree works equally well on a

sandwich, as an appetizer or served

with wedges of bread and salad as a

light meal.

2 cups cooked white beans, any size,

or 1 (16 oz.) can, drained and rinsed

1 medium head garlic

½ cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 or 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Fresh basil, torn or cut into small

pieces, to taste

Salt and pepper

To prepare the roasted garlic: Remove

the papery outer layers from the head,

then slice off the top quarter- to half-

inch and drizzle the exposed cloves

with olive oil. Enclose in foil and bake

at 400°F for about half an hour, until

cloves are soft and aromatic. Let cool

slightly, then squeeze the roasted gar-

lic cloves out of their skins.

Combine the roasted garlic, beans,

lemon juice and oil in a mixing bowl

or the bowl of a food processor. Mash

or blend until fairly smooth. If the

spread is too thick, add a little water.

Stir in herbs, and season to taste with

salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve on crusty bread or as a dip for

vegetables or pita chips.

Cranberry Beans with Rosemary

& Portabella Mushrooms

Courtesy of the Tracy Chamber of Commerce

Cranberry beans are an heirloom variety,

similar in color and appearance to pintos,

that are reputed to be easy to digest.

1 cup dry cranberry beans

6 cups water or stock

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup water

2 large portabella mushrooms, cut into

bite-size pieces

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 clove garlic, chopped

6 large shallots, chopped

1 hot chile, minced

1 cup white wine

2 cups canned tomatoes with liquid

Gently simmer the beans in water or

stock. Be careful not to boil too rapidly,

as the shells can break. After 40 minutes,

or when the beans are tender, remove

from the heat. In a large skillet, sauté

the portabellas and half of the rosemary

in olive oil. After three minutes, add the

garlic, shallots and chile. Stir and cook

for 15 minutes. Raise the heat and add

the wine, stirring while it evaporates;

before all of the water evaporates, sim-

mer for 10 minutes.

Drain the beans and add them to the

mushroom-tomato mixture. Stir once or

twice and add the rest of the rosemary.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6 to 8.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean ChiliThis rich, dark chili recipe is just right for dinner for two on a chilly

evening, but it can be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd (or

leftovers). If you use fresh-cooked beans instead of canned, try

substituting the cooking liquid for some or all of the water. Serve

with orange wedges and warmed corn tortillas.2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil1 small onion, finely diced1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced1 tablespoon chili powder2 teaspoons ground cumin¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile, or more to taste1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste12/3 cups water1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed, or 1½ cups cooked black beans

1 cup canned diced tomatoes2 teaspoons lime juice2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantroAvocado (optional)Sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and

potato and cook, stirring often, until the onion is slightly softened,

about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices and salt and cook, stirring

constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, bring to a

simmer, cover, reduce heat to maintain a gently simmer and cook

until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes

and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stir-

ring often. Reduce heat and cook uncovered until slightly reduced,

about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Garnish

each serving with a spoonful of sour cream or yogurt and a few

slices of ripe avocado. Serves 2.

6 | FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010

There is nothing really quite as fun as shoot-ing a festival. I would

rather have my eyelids glued open and be strapped to a chair and forced to watch a marathon showing of the movie “The Princess Bride” than photograph a festival.

But, alas, marked on my calendar every September is the Tracy Dry Bean Festival, so I must grudgingly hitch up my man-pants and head out to downtown Tracy for the festivities.

So, what do I have against the Bean Festival? Nothing — it’s festivals in general: bean, apricot, asparagus, garlic. You name it, they are not the most joy in the world to photograph.

Let’s take a look at the fes-tival through the camera.

First of all, you pray you find parking somewhere near the office. The hordes of peo-ple who descend on down-town Tracy look in every nook and cranny to park. So, arrive early or hike to the office and pray there are no rattlesnakes on 10th Street on the way to work.

Then there is the heat. Why can’t we ever have a festival during the winter months? Why do I always have to schlep my camera gear across the toasty pave-ment of Central Avenue in 100-degree-plus weather? If I am lucky, I will have heat stroke and have to call it a day — otherwise, I am on a death march trying to cover all the venues and booths.

So, say I manage to find a parking spot and the weather hasn’t melted my camera. The next obstacle is the crowds. Too many people — maybe they should just let a handful in at a time, kind of like a tour at a museum. Always bumping into people, having to fight for the only shady spot on the street — it just becomes a hassle.

OK, so I guess I should just man up about the hike to work, ignore the heat stroke racking my body and wade through the sea of humanity to take some pictures. Now the real fun begins.

Because it is a bean festi-val, I should try to take some pictures of beans. So the first thing I do is stake out the Bean Town Pavilion and stalk unsuspecting victims sitting down for a taste of legumes. Nothing endears you quite as

Some people have been amazed that Tracy would choose the lowly bean to be the center-piece of a community festival.

It is not as amazing as it is brave. Beans are unfairly seen as funny and maligned.

The theme was not chosen lightly, nor was it chosen merely because other California cities beat us to other products. Lobster had been taken by Long Beach, and Lodi took the grape. Tracy is full of beans. We are proud of it.

Certainly, there are September festivals around California that appear to be classier. Chic is not everything.

San Francisco has its Joy of Sake. This is a festival centering on warm rice wine. It is not that sake is not good, but it needs to be paired with the joy of sushi. All those who think raw fish is thrilling, raise your hands.

The town of Julian put itself on the map with

its Julian Grape Stomp Festival. This is not only a long title, but a violent one. These folks cel-

ebrate being vicious to vino.We could have run a-fowl, like

Fair Oaks, which has its Chicken Festival. Don’t be mistaken, chicken is the first white meat, but it’s hard to honor. This is not to mention that the name seems like celebrating cowardice.

The other white meat is feted in Mariposa at the Blazin’ Hog BBQ Competition, which sounds like an arson fire at the Harley-Davidson plant.

The festival that confuses me most, however, is Women of Taste in

Oakland. I quake at the meanings behind that one.Then there is the Festival of Fruit: Year of

the Avocado in Orange County. I can see the dishes of guacamole posing for pictures with the young children.

This is not to make fun of the other cities. It is

to point to Tracy’s prominence in festivities.Let us tip our wine glass to beans, more

available than lobsters and less snooty than the grape. Beans are the legume of every person. Beans have no class distinction, no pretentious-ness and no pretense.

Beans are humble, but they are incredibly necessary to the nutrition of the world.

Some 18.3 million tons of beans were grown last year. That is one ton for every citizen of Florida.

The American Dry Bean Board claims that eating beans can lower one’s chance of having a heart attack and can prevent some cancers. Beans contain all-important fiber. Can avocados say that?

As important as beans are, they promote no self-importance. You have to appreciate the mod-esty and unassuming nature of the bean. It is straightforward, honest and wholesome.

Beans could run for public office.

� Mike McLellan can be contacted by calling and leaving a message at 830-4201 or e-mailing him at DrMikeM@sbcglobal.net.

Beans: Not musical, not fruit, but grand

MIKE McLELLANTILTED WINDMILLS

Knee-deep in the hoopla

much to a total stranger as clicking away as they take in a mouthful of beans.

Fearing a fork in my eye from an angry eater, I head over to the bean sales booth, where I take the same pic-ture I have for the past 13 years or so. Maybe I can sneak in an outtake from last year and save myself the walk in the sweltering heat.

But isn’t there anything you like to shoot at the festival, you ask? A couple, I guess.

There is the Bean Run making a return this year. Several years ago, I was camped out at the finish line and had a front-row seat for a runner taking a Technicolor yawn as he crossed the finish. Remember, only those runners who eat balanced breakfast puke in front of the crowd at the end of the race. I did what any photographer would do — I took a picture of the puddle and made it the screensaver for a co-worker’s computer.

Then there was the arm wrestling competition. That was fun to shoot, people straining in agony as they feel their bicep muscles tearing apart. The best arm wrestling competition I ever saw was in college, when a volleyball player snapped another girl’s forearm in half. I don’t remember taking a picture of that, however.

Some years, there is the Old West re-enactment group with their six-shooters in a

saloon shootout. Anything with guns has got to be good, right? And what could sur-pass the terrified screams of a young child traumatized by the sight of a menacing giant pinto bean lurking on 10th Street? It’s better than a kid wailing on Santa Claus’ lap.

Sure, there are worse assignments: fatal accidents, spot news scenes in the mid-dle of the night, cranky dogs for the pet of the week.

I try to take them all

in stride. Maybe the Bean Festival isn’t so bad after all. I’ll just think happy thoughts as I stagger about, slowly sweltering in the midday sun, lost in the sea of people choking the streets of downtown Tracy.

� Snapshots is written by Tracy photography editor Glenn Moore and runs every so often in the Tracy Press. He can be reached at gmoore@tracypress.com. To read more, visit his blog at http://glenn-snapshots.blogspot.com/.

GLENN MOORESNAPSHOTS

OK. He’s dressed like a bee.

Great.

Oh, joy. Crowds.

IT’S ALIVE!

Guns. Woo-hoo!

Please don’t hit me. I’m just the photographer.

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Chrome, polish to class up east end of 10th Street during this year’s bean fest

Our Town

Classic cars, tricked-out bikes and rods of all shapes and engine sizes will line 10th Street the Saturday of the Tracy Dry Bean Festival.

The Car-N-Bike Show-N-Shine auto extravaganza has been a staple of the festival for the past decade, but organiz-ers made a slight change to this year’s format. Instead of a two-day affair, owners will line up their cars only on the festival’s first day.

“Hopefully, that means more cars at the same place at the same time,” said Jon Mendelson, a Tracy Press editor and classic car enthusiast who’s helping the day of the show. “We want as many rides as possible out there Saturday — we want to give folks plenty of chrome to check out.”

Classic cars and trucks, low riders, street rods, customs, imports and bikes are all welcome at the event, which will feature a 50-50 drawing, raffle prizes and vendors.

Owners and drivers can register their rides from 8 a.m. to noon the day of the show for $30 — “Just pull up to 10th Street from East Street, and we’ll sign you up,” Mendelson said — and there are goodie bags for the first 100 who show up.

Trophies will be handed out in several categories at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

More than a date on a calendar, autumn begins with a feeling.

It’s crisper air, even when the mercury hits 95. It’s harvesters working tomato fields outside Banta, corn rows growing golden off East 11th Street. It’s a lower light in the after-noon and a faint bite of cool at night. It’s a sense that schoolyards will soon host cakewalks, giant gourds, hay bales and scarecrows.

And, in our corner of the Central Valley, it’s walking through down-town during the annual Tracy Dry Bean Festival.

That party begins this weekend — and, at least for me, so does fall.

It’s worth noting, though, that navy bean soup and Rotary-pulled beer weren’t always synonymous with the first days of autumn.

The festival conjured to celebrate the “Dry Bean Capital of the World” — our Hamlet by the Highway, if you were con-fused —began only 23 years ago, though its roots dive much deeper.

Just as the Delta fields flanking Stockton yield asparagus that’s famous world-round, legumes have long had a home near Tracy.

Beginning about 80 years ago, this area was the Promised Land for bean growers looking to escape development elsewhere in California — excuse, for a moment, the irony that Central Valley agriculture is now often threatened by suburban sprawl. But back in the day, beans sprouted all across our region.

In 1987, those humble beans became an excuse to throw a party and ring in the changing of the seasons. While drum-ming up publicity and profits, of course.

It’s a fitting history, but I think there’s another, more elegant explanation for our

affinity for Anasazis, orcas and cranber-ries (not to mention pintos and lentils).

Dried beans are staples — foodstuffs that lend heft to the diets of millions. They’re not always Food Network glam-worthy, but take the time to soak them,

cook them and unlock the general rib-sticking good-ness within, and you’ll push away your plate satisfied. (Especially if they’re the backbone of a chili that’s been paired with a cup of cold suds.)

Just like the beans, the character and potential of Tracy aren’t always appreciated. To many outsiders, Tracy’s a bump on the interstate, a com-

muter town grown from cow pastures — certainly not a place that’s your first choice for settling down.

Then again, just like an unassuming but darn-good plate of frijoles, not every-one has bothered to tuck in to Tracy.

It’s a vibrant, hearty mix of farm-town earthiness and metropolitan class, with a swirl of community and a heavy dash of civic spirit.

It’ll all be on display this weekend, as agricultural bounty and arm wrestling share the shadow of the Grand Theatre’s fine art galleries, and tank tops and short-shorts strut beside seersucker and silk. (Well, there’ll probably be more Daisy Dukes than Southern suits, but how else would you celebrate summer’s last hurrah?)

For a real taste of this town — and the unassuming beans that make it “famous” — bring a sense of humor, a wide-brimmed hat and a healthy appetite downtown this weekend. There’s no bet-ter way to say hello to fall.

� Share your thoughts with associate editor and columnist Jon Mendelson at jmendelson@tracypress.com.

Car show shines on

Our Town file photo

A perfect fit for our town

JON MENDELSONSECOND THOUGHTS

8 | FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010

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Orca bean Fun fact: Orca beans, named after black-and-white killer whales, are as lovely as they are tasty. Piquant seasonings, such as chiles, red pepper and cumin, complement the orcas’ mild flavor and creamy texture.

Garbanzo bean Fun fact: Also known as chickpeas, gar-banzo beans are consumed worldwide. The legumes’ firm texture and nutty flavor — somewhere between chestnuts and walnuts — is an ideal base for soups, stews, salads and purees. Garbanzos can also be fried, roasted and ground into flour.

Christmas lima beanFun fact: The Christmas lima is an heirloom bean, which means the bean was handed down within a small community for several generations. The bean’s chestnut flavor and festive coloring are the reason for its holiday namesake.

Baby lima beansFun fact: Baby lima beans originally come from Peru and are very popular in the Americas. The baby variety is used to make desserts from bean paste known as an in Japan. Most lima beans are dried, canned or frozen. Baby limas are the

European soldier beansFun fact: European soldier beans have a mild flavor and firm texture. They are also known as red-eyes, due to the splash of color surrounding the hilum — aka the eye of the bean — which, if you squint, looks like the silhouette of a soldier.

Yellow dalFun fact: In India, these little legumes are called moong dal. Archaeological evidence suggests that mung beans were first domes-ticated in India at least 3,500 years ago and soon spread into other areas of Asia and into Northern Africa. They are used in many cooked dishes, salads and pancakes.

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Black-eyed peas Fun fact: In the American South, eating black-eyed peas and greens (such as col-lards) on New Year’s Day is considered good luck; the beans symbolize coins and the greens symbolize paper money.

Fava bean Fun fact: The fava bean — from the Italian fava, meaning “broad bean” — is sometimes used as a natural alternative to drugs like Viagra, citing a link between L-dopa pro-duction and the human libido. Returning to the culinary world, they’re often prepared in stews and purees.

Pinto bean Fun fact: Pinto beans have been proven effective in stabilizing blood glucose lev-els, lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. High levels of vitamin B improve brain function and memory.

Beluga lentil Fun fact: There are many varieties and col-ors of lentils, including brown, yellow, black, orange, red and green. Deep black beluga lentils are one of the smallest varieties of lentils, having a shiny appearance similar to caviar when cooked.

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