1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Although not native to Mexico, the lush tropical climate of 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Vera Cruz was perfect for growing rice. From there, it 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: grew in popularity, becoming one of Mexico's ultimate side dishes. 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: Today's episode is all about rice. My name is Eva 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: Longoria and I am and welcome to Hungry for History, 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: a podcast that explores our past and present through food. 7 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: On every episode, we'll talk about the history of some 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: of our favorite dishes, ingredients, and beverages. So make yourself 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: at home. Today's episode is about our ross at rice. 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: For those who don't speak Spanish. I'm so excited about 11 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: rice rice. I'm always excited about everything about Yeah, I 12 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: have some really good rice. Today. We had great rice today. 13 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: We were just having this conversation just for you guys 14 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: to know. We are still in Mexico, and we were 15 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: talking about different rice because I live mostly in Mexico City, 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: and so I was like, wait, why do they serve 17 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: so much white rice in Mexico City. You see right 18 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: rice in some places and then you see more of 19 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: the red rice. And it's so interesting. Spanish rice basically, 20 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: it's this hispanization of everything Latin. It's like because of 21 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: the Spanish language. Everything was called Spanish, but it's not 22 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: really Spanish, but it is. There's I've never eaten red 23 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: rice in Spain. Well, the red rice in Spain is 24 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: the by a. Yeah, but that's not it's a different 25 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: kind of rice. But it's red because of the saffron, 26 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 1: and the Mexican rice is red because of toma, because 27 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: of the tomato sauce. Yeah, so different regions have did 28 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: you grow up eating? Grew up red, red, red, red 29 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: red rice. I mean that was you know, quote unquote 30 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: Spanish rice, but we had Mexican rice usually with peas 31 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: and carrots, yes, right, peas and carrots. Peas and carrot, 32 00:01:52,520 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: peas and carrots from a can. We had rice every day. 33 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: Rice and beans were the side of everything in my 34 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: household for us to really either white rice, just like 35 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: we had corn or flour, yes, always both. We had 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 1: either white rice or red rice with peas and carrots. Wait, 37 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: our wine just arrived. Hang on pause, yes, thank you. 38 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: Like then, I've had a long day. We had a 39 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: long day visiting a pyramids, and so we're parched, a 40 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: little bit parched, so we need someone. I promise we're 41 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: not drunk yet, but um, I have a lot of 42 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: I have a lot of memories tied to rice my 43 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: entire childhood. Easter, Like who was bringing the rice was 44 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 1: a big thing, you know, anytime we had a family gathering, 45 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: always rice. Yeah, so every family gathering. To me, it 46 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: was a big deal. Who brought the rice? And you 47 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: you wished it was my aunt Elsa. I hope it 48 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: was her, Dirk. I hope it was her. Mom makes 49 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: really good right and she makes an amazing by a yeah, amazing. 50 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: So do you what rice do you make at home? 51 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 1: I am not good at making rice. Ready to get married? 52 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: That you're not ready? I can't believe. I remember my mom. 53 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: That's such a Where did that? Where did that come from? 54 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: The patriarchal saying in the Mexican culture of you're not 55 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: I couldn't make rice by twelve, by the way, okay, 56 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: I could make it by I'm not getting married to 57 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: But my mom was like, you're My grandma would say 58 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: you're ready to get married, but not the boys because 59 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: then you can't get married. And I still I'm married. 60 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: But did you what means did you pinto? Know? Always 61 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: black beings? What never had I first generation? And I 62 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: think the food that we had at my house. We 63 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: also had you know, the influence of the north, but 64 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: very but never pinto beans. And I love them, theo 65 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: with bacon and beer. I love that. But at home 66 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: black beans of the time. But do you find you 67 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: can't have rice without beans. I can't have rice without beans. 68 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: I can have rice without but I can't. I can't. 69 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: I don't understand that really. Yeah, So like today when 70 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: we had rice and I was like a little sad, 71 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: and then the guy brings over the beans and I 72 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: was like, yes, they do go together, rice and beans. 73 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: Another word, a ross didn't appear in the in the 74 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: language in the know, the Castilian language until the twelfth century. 75 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: It's an arab word ross. What does it mean? It 76 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: was adopted into the Spanish language in the century okay, 77 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: when it comes from the Arabic word al russels al 78 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: rus a l r u z z inn a d. 79 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: The Moors they brought brought the word the Arabic word 80 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: for rice, which was all russ and we've changed it 81 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: to ross. I love knowing. Three hundred years later they 82 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: came out ross. Somebody was too lazy to say a 83 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: rust use means right us in Arabic and ancient Greek. 84 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:08,719 Speaker 1: Ancient Greece is Usa o r u z A. Okay, 85 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: that's interesting. And actually early on when it made its way, 86 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: you know, to Europe, they were using it like medicinally, 87 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,679 Speaker 1: like for you know, to treat you know, stomach aches. 88 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: It's just one of the oldest cereal grains in the world. 89 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: But how did it end up in Latin America. That's 90 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: the thing that's the that's the big questions. And there 91 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: are different theories as to how it ended up in 92 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: Latin America. But we're in Gruz. Well, probably came through 93 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: the port and it came through here, So they're different theories. 94 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: So one theory is that it came very which is 95 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: the most plausible theory, that it came through Verda Gruz 96 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: very early on sixteenth century. One of the first ingredients 97 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: that came over. And they say that there was the 98 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: conquered came we landed through here. That the anfamous guy 99 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: he actually bought before we're coming here. He bought six 100 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: enslaved Africans in Cuba and brought them over and these 101 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: were the first Africans in Mexico. They came through us. 102 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,679 Speaker 1: Legend is that one of them was carrying a bag 103 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: that had rice in it, and this was the first 104 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: you know rice, so potentially African rice. And there are 105 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: writings like from the Spanish conquistadors, Like, we have a 106 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: lot of what we know about this period. I mean, 107 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: a lot of the history that we know is very 108 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: euro Centric, right from that perspective, right all the history. Yeah, 109 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: so as early as fifteen seventy nine, there is evidence, 110 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: there's writing that in the state of Tabasco they were 111 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: growing rice and tobacco. Tobacco's native to heat to this 112 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: to hear, but they're already going at rice as early 113 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: as seventy nine. So that's one theory. All right, y'all. 114 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: When we come back, we'll be learning all about the 115 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: surprising history of rice and how it ended up on 116 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: our delicious plates of food here in Latin in America. 117 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: Another thing that we consume a lot of that I 118 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: was thinking about when we had lunch, because we had 119 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: rice and they also served Hamica hibiscus flower that's native 120 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: to Africa. Hibiscus is native to me, does nave to Africa, 121 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: native to Africa and also India, both both places. But yeah, lemon, 122 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: that's that's Asian. That's from China as well. I didn't 123 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: know that citrus, but hibiscus tamarind that's such a part 124 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: of me today. We had rice and amica. Those were 125 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: all brought over and it's actually called Hamica because they 126 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: thought that it came from from Jamaica. Oh, yes, Hamica 127 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: from Jamaica. It's this whole African influence is African diaspora 128 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: that's not really talked about, but speaking of African influence 129 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: is a lot a lot like sugar, Like the demand 130 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: in the world for sugar created a demand for slavery, 131 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: and a demand in the world for rice also did 132 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: the same thing. So there was a lot of African 133 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: lament tied to rice, absolutely absolutely anything. That's so because 134 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: it's so grueling, right, it's so hard. And another thing 135 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: with these you know, bringing the Africans that they knew 136 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: how to cultivate the rice, they knew how to grow it, 137 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: they knew the land and the climate is very similar 138 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: and the places that grow this, you know, so they 139 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: were picking the people to work the land based on 140 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: their knowledge. You know that that was valuable. How is 141 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: rice grown? Rice is just like the craziest, the craziest 142 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: thing weird. It's like a like a patty like it's 143 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: this these feels that have to be flooded before the 144 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: rice can then be you know, harvest the harvested. So 145 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: and it's interesting that the state of Morelos here and 146 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: sort of sent in Mexico, in Mexico has this like 147 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: amazing rice that has the denomination of origin. It's supposed 148 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: to be the most amazing rice. Want like world's best 149 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: rice and the World's Fair in Paris in the year 150 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: nineteen hundreds. It's supposed to be the best rice. But 151 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: how did it get like I get, okay, so I 152 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: get how it got here the Spaniards, but how did 153 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 1: it get to what? So this the Spanish that brought it? 154 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: Was that rice from Africa. No was China. It's the 155 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: Asian rice. So that rice. This is so interesting because 156 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: this really shows how everything is connected. So originally Asian rice, China, India, 157 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: it makes its way all the way to the Middle East. Okay, right, 158 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: so the Moors have it in the Middle East and 159 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: they arrive insane, ruled years and ruled for years. Yes, 160 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,959 Speaker 1: they introduced it to Sicily, to Morocco and of course 161 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: in Spain. So of course when it's you know, cultivated. 162 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: It takes on different characteristics and they're different sizes of rice, 163 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: like the Spanish rice for jasmine rice. Yeah, but you 164 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: know you're a not a big rice place. France isn't. 165 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: Italy obviously is not. Well, they're just in where the 166 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: rice patties are in the north. The risotto, that's rice, 167 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: but it's the arboreo rice is a different type of rice. 168 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,719 Speaker 1: So there's that. In Spain, there's the bomba rice that's 169 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: similar to the arborio rice. So that's much more in Valencia, 170 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: and that's and that's what they used for Yeah, bigger 171 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: and harder. It's bigger and harder. It's a rounder. It's rounder, 172 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: it's rounder. So and the one that we get here 173 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: mostly you see the long grain rice, that's like what 174 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: we had today is the long grain rice. Yeah, so 175 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,719 Speaker 1: that's like the sort of that's the rice that I 176 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: always grew up, regular long grain rice loma. Yeah, that's 177 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: the right, that's the that's the race, that's the rice. 178 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 1: But I think archaeologists said rice did really was from China, 179 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: but that's what was discussed the earliest I guess earliest evidence, yes, 180 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: but there's also really ancient evidence in Africa, right, but 181 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: that Asian rice is the rice that eventually made its 182 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: way here. But then some accounts say that the Manila Galleons, 183 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: which were these ships that made their way for two 184 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: d and fifty years between the Philippines. Of course it's 185 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: already it's it's Asia's especially calling you, but it's Asia. 186 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: So they were eating rice, coming over Chakapura and bringing 187 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: the rice with them. Right. So there's that whole you know, 188 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: that whole school of thought that no rice arrived during 189 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: the colonial period. You typically like eighteen century that rice, 190 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: but it's probably both. And then there's this new theory 191 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: that there's evidence of rice growing in Brazil going back 192 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: about four thousand years. And well, you know, I know 193 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: that this article that the archaeology is who found the 194 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: first evidence of rice in China over ten tho years ago, 195 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: talked about how even in China they were hunter gatherers 196 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: and rice changed the way they lived, like changed their 197 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: society as they know it. And it's, you know, to 198 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: this day a staple of their diet. Oh, totally, totally 199 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: a staple. And that's yeah, because once you have this grain, 200 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: you have to take care of it. So then you're 201 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: gonna settle and you're gonna form communities, right and you're 202 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: gonna yeah, and we know it's so interesting. But the 203 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: archaeological evidence that they test these pots and they do 204 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: the carbon testing and they realized what they were cooking 205 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: and growing. But it's a big part of it. But 206 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: it's not it's not a huge part of Mexican culture. 207 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: I mean it's around, but it in certain parts of 208 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: the country, the south or you know, or I was like, 209 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: can I get a bowl of rice because it's such 210 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 1: a state. They say it's a staple and half the globe. 211 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 1: It's a staple in the diet of half the globe. Um, 212 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 1: And that's crazy. I mean, it's true. Everybody has some 213 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: sort of rice dish, but in Mexico does depend where 214 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: you go. It does depend. There's a lot of rice 215 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: in Louisiana, in New Orleans food, a lot of rice 216 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 1: in South Carolina, the Carolina gold rice. So it's interesting. 217 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: It's like they're different types of rice and this whole idea, 218 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: the mix, like having the peas and the carrots. These 219 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: are just sort of different cultures that we're doing this, 220 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: that we're doing that thing in Africa. But rice has 221 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: this long history. Yeah, Rice has been here over five 222 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: hundred years, which I find fascinating that such a tiny 223 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: little drain and carry just the world literally it's been 224 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: all over. Yeah. Well, and it's like I always say, 225 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: people need to realize we live in a global society, 226 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 1: Like I don't live in Texas and Mexico and United, 227 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: Like we live in a global community. And how everything 228 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: is connected even then, even in the seventeenth century, even 229 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: ten thousand years ago, that how Rice made its way somewhere. 230 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: You're like, wow, I me look look at COVID. Yeah, 231 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: that's the perfect exam perfect lived of how we you know, 232 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: we were all affected and connected. We did Rice get 233 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: a bad name, though, don't you feel like dietarily it's 234 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: gotten thrown under the bus? It is. It's like they're 235 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: like stop. I feel like I stopped for a minute 236 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: because I was like, it's it bad for me? Like 237 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: right when I think I think that, like that maybe 238 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: the sort of weight consciousness that it was, like Rice 239 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: carves bad. I mean, it's all you know, but there's 240 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: a lot of things we could do a keen Wa 241 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: episode two, because I feel like there's a whole food 242 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: ecosystem behind all food and growth and production, I think. 243 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: I mean, there's something happening. And then like with what 244 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: happened with keen wa in Peru, which is like it 245 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,119 Speaker 1: was the food of the people and now it's exploded 246 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: all over the world as a super food and now 247 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: even the people in Peru can't afford keen one now, 248 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: and you're like, oh my god, what do we do? 249 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: Like there's a lot of balance that. Yeah. Yeah, in 250 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: food production we have to be very careful of. And 251 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: so that's celery juice, right, Like I remember there's a 252 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: celery farmer going. I can't grow it fast enough because 253 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: this new diet craze of celery and juice in the morning. 254 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: And he was like, what is happening. I've been growing 255 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: celery for hundreds of years. My family have never had 256 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: a craze like this. And then the next day they 257 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: dropped the craze, and that farmers stuck with tons of 258 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: tons of celery. You know what I mean, Like, you 259 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: have to be really mindful of these diet craze things. 260 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: And so I bet you, I bet you rice suffered 261 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: when when people gave it about it, I probably did. Yeah, 262 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: that marketing, the marketing is such a what is good 263 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: and what is bad? I was reading something about pomegranate, 264 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: like pomegranate another super super like hit the market. Yeah, 265 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: that's pomegranate juice. For a while, it was like the 266 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: biggest crazy I remember this and it was just but 267 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: they had a lot. It's yeah, I haven't heard about 268 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: it and for it's been a few years, but I 269 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: saw some documentary that this farm had a ton of pomegranates, 270 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: and like, what do we do with it? Of pomegranate 271 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: craze just sort of starts home marketing. It's really interesting 272 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: how it affects, how it affects, you know, what we 273 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: what we buy, and what we what we care about, 274 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: what we think about to and what craze we jump 275 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: onto when we come back. David Vasquez and Ashley Laon Vasquez, 276 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: owners of Rio Luna and Paramount California, share their techniques 277 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: for making the best or chata, a traditional Mexican awa 278 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: fresca made with rice. Welcome back to Hungary for history, 279 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: we can't talk about rice and not mentioned and aura 280 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: fresca flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. The history of this 281 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: drink is just as complex as the origins of ice well. 282 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 1: The Mexican version of artata first appeared in the sixteenth century. 283 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: Its roots date back to an ancient Roman medical elixir 284 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: made from barley. In fact, the word archata comes from 285 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: the Latin orta, meaning a drink made with barley. From 286 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 1: its role as medicine in antiquity, the beverage took a 287 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: circuitous route across Europe and across the Atlantic to Latin America. 288 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: Along the way, chat became a whole family of drinks 289 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: made from various grains, nuts, and seeds. Here are David 290 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: Vasquez and Ashley Leon Vasquez, owners of or Luna. Sharing 291 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: would inspire them to open up their shop and the 292 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: best techniques for making rice. Hi, my name is David 293 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: Vascus and I'm actually Leon Vasquez. Our inspiration for opening 294 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: or Luna was the love of our culture, our roots, 295 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: and the flavors we grew up tasting, specifically the coffee 296 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:04,959 Speaker 1: to rose and of course are chata. We knew we 297 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: were having a family party, there was gonna be a 298 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 1: big old jug of ur chata, and I just remember 299 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,160 Speaker 1: myself and my cousin's just going to town on the chat. 300 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: A memory that I have growing up will be going 301 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: to our local taco shop. Definitely our chat that was 302 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,159 Speaker 1: on the menu and most places served it fresh. That 303 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: was to go to as far as a drink and 304 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 1: pairway with our tackles. One of the best techniques to 305 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: make authentic homemade or chata would be to let the 306 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: rice soak, preferably overnight, but definitely more than about eight hours. 307 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: This really brings out the rice flavor in your drink 308 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: and it really gives that homemade taste. A different way 309 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: to prep the rice will be to boil the water 310 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 1: and add your rice, letting it sit for at least 311 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: thirty minutes, and that would leave the rice in a 312 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: consistency where it's soft and you're able to grab it 313 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: with your fingers and pretty much crush it or split 314 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: it in half. And that's when you know that your 315 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: rice is ready. Throw it in the blender and blend 316 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: it up really well until no grains are left, and 317 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: just put the rest of the ingredients in as well, 318 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: like the cinnamon and sugar and water, and uh, it 319 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: would give you some of the best chat. Yes, it's 320 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 1: definitely delicious. Here's the thing with rice for y'all, cooks, um. 321 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 1: You have to put everything in cover it and walk away. 322 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: So you say a prayer and hope you didn't over 323 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: salted overseason and under salt underseas. You can always underseason. 324 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: But but then it takes bla what what kind of 325 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: rice do you make? What? Mexican rice? Just that the 326 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: red rice? I always make the red, Always make the red. 327 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: Actually I'm horrible and making steamed rice, like I don't 328 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: know how to do that. Yeah, I make when I 329 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 1: make the rice, I just do. I make white rice. 330 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: Just sat a little bit of garlic to the rice 331 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: a little bit, and then a chicken broth and I 332 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: cover it and then it's either hard or mush. I 333 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,479 Speaker 1: don't know what I do. Do you do the equal 334 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: parts or the double? Yeah, I don't know. I don't measure. 335 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: Still you really, I don't measure. I don't do the 336 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,360 Speaker 1: one to two. I browned the rice I put first, 337 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: I put onion and garlic, and I salte that. Then 338 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: I browned the rice on top of that, and then 339 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: I put in water and I put a chicken booye 340 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 1: on comino garlic salt, I mean garlic powder, onion powder. 341 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: So even though I put garlic and onion, I put 342 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 1: garlic and onion powder and tomato sauce, and then I 343 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,919 Speaker 1: close it and it comes out perfect. Every time. It 344 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: doesn't come out mushy. Whenever I've made that rice, it's 345 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: like an edible edible yeah, oh my gosh, no, yeah, 346 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: I don't know what I know. I remember a friend 347 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 1: of mine coming over and he was like, I can't 348 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: believe you're not measuring right now because of rice. You know, 349 00:20:57,359 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: like I measure oatmeal every time make oatmeal, I have 350 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: to do it to to one and all that stuff, 351 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: and but rice, you just do it like now rice, 352 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: I don't. But I sunk up white rice. I can't 353 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: make like jasmine. I can't do that, okay, in a 354 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: in nahayana, in a yeah yeah, in a pot and 355 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:17,159 Speaker 1: a pot I think the word. But I make in 356 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: a sod of then I can make in the frying pan. 357 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: I can make the Mexican rice. My moms, everybody lives, 358 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 1: and I make amazing for they old too. The Mexican rice. 359 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: It's very similar to an African rice called Joela rice. 360 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: That's really a popular dish in West Africa that has 361 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: it has a little bit of chicken, but it has 362 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: chopped onions and tomatoes. Is made with tomato paste, chopped vegetables, 363 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: you know, green beans, you know. So it's very very 364 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: similar to the rice that we have today, Yeah, to 365 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: the Mexican rice and that there's a rice okay, do 366 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: you know this right? It's like a bay a yeah, okay, 367 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: but it's it's rice without the saffron. It's more of 368 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:07,640 Speaker 1: a kind of tomato based with lots of vegetables and 369 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 1: just tons of seafood. And that's that sounds like a baa. 370 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 1: It's like a ba a yeah, but without the saffron. Okay, 371 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: And that's typical. What about amos yama? What's the name 372 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: of that rice in Puerto Rico that sticks to the bottom? 373 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, and also in um and Persian rice, it's 374 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:28,640 Speaker 1: that part of the rice that sticks to the bottom, 375 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: which is the best rice in in hard it's hard. 376 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: It's the burnt rice. It's the burnt the best stuff. 377 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: And it's called in Spain they call it the socarrat. 378 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: There's a great restaurant in New York called Sots, great 379 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:51,199 Speaker 1: name for the restaurant. Okay, stuck and well dominic. In 380 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: cuisine and Puerto Rican cuisine, it's scorched rice, which is 381 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 1: called bagao short for bago, which means stuck, and so 382 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 1: you feel over the pan. Everybody fights for the for 383 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:03,959 Speaker 1: the heart, for the gard and the Persians call it 384 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: um tadig. Is it the same? Yeah, it's the same thing. 385 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,120 Speaker 1: What about We even have talked about coconut rice. Oh, 386 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 1: I love cocon love coconut rice and sticky rice, which 387 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: is similar, right, sticky like and mango sticky right, mango 388 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: sticky rat coconut. That's ros roscoe Lee. Did you grew 389 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: up eating roc I did not, but I have an 390 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: appreciation for it. Hungry for History is an unbelievable entertainment 391 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: production in partnership with I Hearts Michael podcast Network. For 392 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: more of your favorite shows, visit the I Heart Radio app, 393 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.