This is NPR's life kit, I'm Milton Guevara.

I have a weekend ritual.

I wake up, put on some music, pour myself coffee,

and then I embark on a lost cause.

I try to make a pot of black beans as good as my grandmother's.

I start sifting through a couple cups of dry beans.

I look for ones that are a little broken

or a little wonky and toss them out.

I put them in a pot at water, garlic, onion, salt,

of a cato leaves, bring it to a simmer,

and wait.

I started this ritual because it's what my mom did

when I was growing up, and she picked it up from her mom,

my grandma.

Served with a couple fried eggs, rice, salsa,

and homemade tortillas, it's one of my favorite morning meals.

Beans are a staple in my Mexican Salvadoran household,

something I like to eat throughout the week.

And the same is true for Brizio Lopez.

I swear because I just made beans yesterday for the week.

Brizio is the co-owner of the Los Angeles restaurant, Galaguerza.

She says this food, Mexican food is powerful,

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