Monday, October 09, 2006

For people who are really into rice

The Japan Times Online - Go with the grain at Kokoromai

I've been to the beach for a couple of days, and oddly enough can't find anything much to blog about from the news over the weekend.

Instead, the link is to a story that illustrates Japan's food culture, where they care a great deal about their rice.

It's a review of restaurant that specialises in rice:

This simple yet chic little restaurant...features rice the way other places specialize in, say, chicken, eel or beef tongue. Instead of relegating it to a bit part, an afterthought to round off the meal, Kokoromai elevates it to the starring role.

Rice, of course, is not a singular noun in Japan. Dozens of different strains exist, with climate and geography determining the flavor and character just as terroir does for grapes and their resulting wine. Kokoromai serves eight varieties of plain white rice, each identified by the prefecture of its origin and even the name of the farmer who grew it.

OK, maybe this is only marginally interesting to most readers, but like I said my mind is still in holiday mode.

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