Rice

In early May many of our neighbours got busy planting rice. Now, a few months later, we are living amongst a carpet of lush green.

 Quite a lot of the planting is still done by hand. Indeed a common sight in rural Japan are little old ladies now bent double after years of bending over in the fields.
Mostly now though the planting is done using the rather marvellous machine on the right.

Rice is, of course, a fundemental part of Japanese culture and is held in great reverence. Japan still produces nearly all of its own rice and vigourously resists attempts by other countries to force imports.

I'm quite sympathetic with this view.
Starvation has been known in living memory and the sight of so many rice fields everywhere gives a comforting sense of security. Also much of the rice growing is fairly, if not very, small scale. This provides work and a meaningful existence to people in rural communities, many of whose families have been growing rice in the same spot for hundreds of years. To allow massive imports from foreign big agribusiness would harm these communities irretrievably.

There are many different varieties of rice grown in Japan, the ones used for sake making are completely different, just like wine grapes.

There is nothing like the new season rice properly cooked. It is is aromatic and has a texture like little pearls or salmon eggs, slightly firm on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.



We buy our rice at he local farmers market from the lovely ladies on the above. The rice is all locally grown, literally from our village and surrounds.

 We get a blend of 50% "Mr Suzuki" and 50% "Snow Queen."



You then select how much you want it polished. We get ours to about 80% polish which gives a lovely texture and flavour.
The different levels of polish are displayed below.