Beans and cornbread are a favorite meal for many West Virginians, no matter their backgrounds. It's made with pinto beans, sometimes called brown beans, and cornbread baked in a cast-iron pan with little or no sugar. It's usually served hot with sliced or chopped onions on the side.

Making beans and cornbread takes time. The dried beans are soaked overnight, then cooked for several hours, usually with salt and fatback pork. Although pinto beans were not grown much in early West Virginia, they became popular because they were inexpensive and easy to buy in stores. Many people remember watching their mothers or grandmothers sort through dried beans to remove small pieces of dirt before washing and soaking them.