Brown rice epiphany

[Jenise]

My secretary showed up with sushi for lunch - made with brown rice! Agghhhh!!!!!

She doesn't know you very well, does she.

I like brown rice. It makes a tasty rice salad with some capsicums, apple, spring onion, and so forth stirred through it, and seasoned with a good splash of honey-garlic vinaigrette.

[Jenise]

We have been using Lundberg's brown basmati for several years. It is delightfully fragrant and nutty. It also makes a good mix with wild rice.

I stopped to look at brown rices available in bulk at the Co-op yesterday, and was impressed with their selection: about ten different rices, including a brown jasmine and an interesting rice called "Indonesian Volcano Rice" that is a mix of brown and red rices. At least half were Lundberg rices.

Which reminded me that I brought a package of Camargue red rice home from France. Previously unknown to me, the Camargue is a very large swampy seaside region in the south of France just outside of Marseilles where a huge quantity of rice is grown--so much so that a two pound box of white Camargue rice costs just over a Euro at French grocery stores. I haven't tried the red yet, but while there we cooked the local rice and it's very very fine. It's similar to Jasmine in that's it's long and narrow but it's smaller too, maybe just 75% as big as Jasmine. It's terrific to cook with, a rice I'd buy here if I could get it.

[Jenise]

I used to hate brown rice, but that's changed as we've tried better quality ones, and now probably eat more than white. Currently looks like we have Lundberg short grain brown, Lundberg Basmati, and Kagayaki Haiga brown (which were having tonight)

I look forward to trying more varieties, Dale. Is the Kagayaki a stubby, short grain?

Which reminded me that I brought a package of Camargue red rice home from France. Previously unknown to me, the Camargue is a very large swampy seaside region in the south of France just outside of Marseilles where a huge quantity of rice is grown--so much so that a two pound box of white Camargue rice costs just over a Euro at French grocery stores. I haven't tried the red yet, but while there we cooked the local rice and it's very very fine. It's similar to Jasmine in that's it's long and narrow but it's smaller too, maybe just 75% as big as Jasmine. It's terrific to cook with, a rice I'd buy here if I could get it.

Jenise, it is grown by Purcell Mountain Farms, I've had it before, buying it about this time of year. They have a myriad of other interesting rices you may want to try, as well.

[Jenise]

I like brown rice. It makes a tasty rice salad with some capsicums, apple, spring onion, and so forth stirred through it, and seasoned with a good splash of honey-garlic vinaigrette.

Rice as a salad base is under-appreciated in the U.S., Matilda, and I don't know why. It's a great and versatile base and deserving of more attention. But of course, given my past I've only done so with white rice. Anyone else who like me hasn't given brown a try in this context, should pay attention to your note and try some variations.

[Jenise]

Jenise, it is grown by Purcell Mountain Farms, I've had it before, buying it about this time of year. They have a myriad of other interesting rices you may want to try, as well.

I'm a customer of Rancho Gordo but haven't tried Purcell, so I took the opp to look at their website since so many of you have mentioned them. Very interesting stuff! They have a lot of interesting rices too, but do note that they import, not grow, most of them like the Camargue red you saw.

I'm a customer of Rancho Gordo but haven't tried Purcell, so I took the opp to look at their website since so many of you have mentioned them. Very interesting stuff! They have a lot of interesting rices too, but do note that they import, not grow, most of them like the Camargue red you saw.

That's right, of course. I have tried their wild rice and the red. I buy their beans mostly, since I found the Rancho Gordo was out of stock so many times. Maybe I order at the wrong time of year.

[Jenise]

I've had that problem with Rancho Gordo too. What might be the case is that once they put up an inventory item about a bean, they don't neccessarily take it down in the years when they don't grow that bean. Or when they don't have any leftover for internet sales: he sells at the Napa Farmers Market in person, which is how Chris (who turned us onto this site) knew of them: she used to live in Napa. I just keep choosing until I catch something, though: there's never a lack of choices.