[Sca-cooks] Dried Beans that WON'T COOK!!!

[Phil Troy/ G. Tacitus Adamantius]

Also sprach Christine Seelye-King:
>Ok, I started a pot of black-eyed peas yesterday.  I started with dried peas
>that have admittedly been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years.  I did
>a quick boil, turned the heat off and let them sit and soak for a couple of
>hours.   Drained that water off and started with fresh, then applied
>not-quite boiling temperatures to it for several hours.  Added a ham bone.
>Cooked for several more hours.  Then more.  Then I went to bed.  Then I got
>up, still had crunchy beans, added more water, went out shopping.  Came
>back, still have crunchy beans.  These things have been on the heat for 24
>hours now (in addition to the pre-boil and soak), and are yet to show any
>signs of getting past the crunchy stage.
>Now, I've had this happen before with old dried black beans, but never with
>any other kind of bean.  I figure after a while even the driest bean will
>cook, no?  NO!!
>Is there anything I can do to save this pot-o-beans, or should I give up,
>throw it out, and use the frozen ones I just bought?
>Christianna

I remember reading that acids will keep beans from softening, so if 
one wanted to add wine or a tomato product, they should be added 
after the beans are mostly cooked.

So, is there any chance you have some kind of hard water with some 
sort of dissolved acid in it (it might not have any special, 
identifiable flavor or acid sourness).

You might try adding a small pinch of baking soda to the water, and 
see if that helps.

Adamantius