Big-flavored shrimp

(jodi hilton for the boston globe)

Chinese Sichuan cooking is best known for its heat, and on the menu at Sichuan Garden in Brookline Village, chili-laced dishes abound. But this cooking style employs a range of flavors and textures. Some, like mellow cucumbers and mild soft tofu, tame the heat, while others nudge it forward. Wok roasted shell-on prawns ($12.95) are lightly battered and fried, then tossed with sea salt and Sichuan peppercorns until the shells blister a bit. The salt amplifies the pepper as well as the crunchy texture -- these are some dynamic shrimp. Sichuan Garden, 295 Washington St., Brookline , 617-734-1870; and 2 Alfred St., Woburn, 781-935-8488. -- LEIGH BELANGER

Bean town

The names are delightful: Yellow Indian Woman, Eye of the Goat, Red Appaloosa, Good Mother Stallard. These are some of the dozens of heirloom beans that Rancho Gordo of Napa, Calif., grows ($8.50 for 1 pound). And if they're good enough for Thomas Keller's French Laundry and Per Se restaurants, they'll add something to your pot, too. All are dried in the field and sold as fresh as dried beans can possibly be, which means that these legumes haven't been sitting around in warehouses for years and years. Available at Wasik's Cheese Shop, 61 Central Street, Wellesley, 781-237-0916, or ranchogordo.com. -- LISA ZWIRN

A square meal with a Central American twist

The quesadilla at Panaderia Rincon Guatemalteco bakery isn't a tortilla stuffed with melted cheese. Rather, the rectangle of bread (a 5-by-7-inch piece is $3) offered at the Waltham spot is made with sour cream and queso seco, Central American-style hard cheese. The batter also contains rice flour, wheat flour, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Baked in a rectangular cake pan, the bread becomes rich and dense, with a hint of sweetness and a texture similar to corn bread. Its slightly nutty flavor comes from the sesame seeds sprinkled on top. Monica Solares, who owns the bakery with her mother, Olga Bran, says it's a popular breakfast and afternoon snack in their native Guatemala. Americans should think of this as coffee cake. At the bakery, Spanish - speaking customers order the quesadilla all day, as well as other Guatemalan breads, sweet rolls, and snacks. Panaderia Rincon Guatemalteco, 430 River St., Waltham, 781-893-0044. -- CLARA SILVERSTEIN

Making scents

Much to the dismay of the people who import canned sardines, no one is going to learn to love the little silvery fish just because they're good for you: Sardines are calcium boosters, and they contain the Omega-3 fatty acids you need, along with essential vitamins. But with a smell like that, who cares? BELA-Olhao claims its sardines are nearly scentless. Ha! Ask my office mates. I practically have to walk across the building to find a trash bin for the empty tin. But if you're already hooked on the fish, you'll be delighted with BELA-Olhao's variety ($1.49 to $2.09 for a 4 1/4 - ounce can), all imported from Portugal by Blue Galleon of Wayland: lightly smoked sardines in olive oil, in lemon with olive oil, and skinless boneless in olive oil. Not convinced? Fine. More for me. Available at A. Russo and Sons, 560 Pleasant St., Watertown, 617-923-1500; Trader Joe's locations; Wild Oats section of Shaw's markets; or mybela.com. -- SHERYL JULIAN