Sopa De Frijol

This recipe comes from the booklet 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2,' published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, a famed Mexican printer and publisher. The late 19th century in Mexico City was a time of culinary crosscurrents—French bread had taken hold alongside native ingredients like black beans, and home cooks adapted both European techniques and local flavors. 'Sopa de Frijol'—bean soup—was a staple for families seeking a hearty, nourishing, and economical dish. Using leftover bread was a common trick to stretch meals, and the blend of lard and oil reflects the mix of indigenous and European fats in Mexican urban kitchens. Hard-boiled eggs provided affordable protein, with aromatic vegetables adding depth to a simple, rustic meal.

A home cook of the 1890s would use a sturdy knife and breadboard to cut the bread, a large clay or cast iron skillet (comal or cazuela) for frying, and a wooden spoon for stirring. Beans would likely be cooked in a clay olla (pot) over a wood or charcoal fire. Crushing the beans into a smooth consistency might involve a mano y metate (stone grinder) or a simple wooden pestle, before passing through a sieve if a finer soup was desired. For assembling and gently heating the soup, a three-legged brazier or double-sided heat (placing coals above and below the pot) helped prevent scorching and promoted even thickening.