1 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor Production for I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese and I'm Lauren voc Obam and today 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: we're talking about risotto. Yes, thanks to you a recent 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: listening request. Hey Emerald, your risotto looked amazing. We're gonna read, 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: uh you're a listener mail at the end. But also 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: she used, we're at this restaurant in New York at 7 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: sixteen types of risotto and sounds amazing. Team, Oh that 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: sounds like heaven. Oh my goodness, it does, and another 9 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: Seinfeld reference, Lauren, here I go. Um. The first time 10 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: I ever heard of risotto was in there's an episode 11 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: where one of George's girlfriends, and I've always wondered how 12 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: they all have a different person they're dating every week. Um, 13 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: she enjoys a plate of risotto more than sex with him, 14 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: or that's what sort of implied by her reaction to 15 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: the ros and her reaction to the sex. Um. And 16 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: so when I had it, I remember again, I grew 17 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: up in a small town, so risotto wasn't to be found. 18 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: But eventually this small Italian restaurant opened opened up on 19 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: the square, and I went there and they had risotto, 20 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh, it's gonna be transcendent. And 21 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: it was. It was good. It was good. I'm sure 22 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: no offense to that restaurant, but it wasn't like it 23 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: maybe wasn't the most transcendent. Yes. And also in that episode, 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: um Elaine describes a similar experience with lobster Bisk And 25 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: I did the same thing with lobster Bisk, where I thought, 26 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,479 Speaker 1: I'm going to have this sort of very intense experience 27 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: with lobster bisc but I guess where I got it from, 28 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:56,919 Speaker 1: Red Lobster. So also, perhaps not the bar I should 29 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: be trying to meet, but I I I super I've 30 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: only had risotto maybe three or four times in my life, 31 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: and I super have a craving for it now so 32 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: so so much. Oh yeah, yeah, this was um this 33 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: was an episode where I not just got a craving 34 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: for the food, but I all it also really made 35 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: me want to cook. Um so yeah, because I am 36 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: I am a sucker for risotto. It's one of the 37 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 1: things that I will frequently order if it is on 38 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: a menu. Um And my old roommate Andrew and I 39 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: used to make some excellent pots of risotto at home. 40 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: Um U out of I really need a Dutch oven. 41 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: That's my like number one quarantine. Uh regret is that 42 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: I've I've never personally owned a big old Dutch oven, 43 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: and they are heck and expensive. Um. I've just been 44 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: lucky to live with people who have owned them for 45 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: gosh like ten years now, and I'm like, dang it, 46 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: I need to buy this very expensive piece of cooking 47 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: equipment that I have just been leaning in response by 48 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: on others to own. And now now it all comes back, 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: Lauren A Lack, I have only myself to blame. So 50 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: you make your rosotto and a Dutch oven? M M. 51 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: I like the I like the fact that it's it's 52 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: it's enameled um and also that that good heavy cast 53 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: iron is great forum for transferring heat pretty evenly. So yeah, 54 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: that's my preferred method. Oh interesting, you have a Dutch oven. Yeah, okay, 55 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: I just threw my hands up as though you like 56 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: get back as I right, as though I pointed like 57 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: an intellectual gun at you. It was very intense. I 58 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: appreciate it. I too. I don't have a Dutch oven either, 59 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: and I frequently have kind of that back in my mind, 60 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: thought of I should get one of those one day 61 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: and I've just never done it, so we're in the 62 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: same boat when it comes to that. Alright, alright, some 63 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: something for both of us to work on. That's great, 64 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: it's true goals. But let's get to right question. Yeah, risotto? 65 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: What is it? Well, risotto is a sort of creamy 66 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 1: textured short grain rice stew in which pretty much all 67 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, or 68 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: or stew might imply too long of a cooking time. 69 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: Risotto is a creamy textured short grain rice dish wherein 70 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: the rice is cooked in flavor instead of water. Oh, 71 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: cooked it flavor, cooked in flavor. Um, yeah, okay. As 72 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: with many things, understanding how to make risotto will help 73 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: us understand what it is. So let's start with that 74 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: rice and I I kind of harped on short grain 75 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: rice there because different kinds of rice contain differing amounts. 76 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: Two types of starches uh amlose and e melo pectin, 77 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: And you might remember these from our glutinous rice episode. 78 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: Uh Amalose is a starch that gets puffy and fluffy 79 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 1: when it's cooked, and a melo pectin is a starch 80 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: that picks up a lot of water and gets sort 81 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: of a ouei and gluey when it's cooked, and many 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: longer grain races are higher in amlose and many shorter 83 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: grain races are higher in a melo pectin. So most 84 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: risotto races are like a short to medium kind of grain. 85 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: And uh that that amalo pectin is critical for creating 86 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: the creaminess of a risotto. And three specific varietals of 87 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: rice are traditional in making it our Boreo, carna roli, 88 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: and uh violone nano. Yes, these are all varietals developed 89 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: in Italy. Risotto is Italian and there are other hybrid 90 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: types of rice grown in other places these days, um 91 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: that are that are good for risotto, But but those 92 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: are those are the basics. Violone nano has the most amalas, 93 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: Arboreo has the most amlo pectin, and uh carna Roli 94 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: is kind of in the middle, making karna Roli by 95 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: many accounts the best traditional rice type for making risotto, 96 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: as it both lends a kind of gooey cream nous 97 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,559 Speaker 1: to the finished product and also stays pretty toothsome um 98 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: some call it the king or the caviare of risotto rice. Yeah, 99 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: um violone nano is less creamy, Arboreo can get a 100 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: little bit mushy. Um. But you know, still, depending on 101 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: what you're going for and what you've got available, totally 102 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: totally doable. Um. But how do those textures happen? Well, 103 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: when you cook risotto, you start with oil or butter 104 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: or both in a pan, maybe with some aromatic vegetation 105 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: in there for flavor. Then add rice and some kind 106 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: or multiple kinds of flavorful liquid, usually broth um, sometimes 107 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: some wine or juice in there. And now um on 108 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 1: on the surface of a grain of white rice which 109 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: has been processed to remove the outer brand, and you're 110 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: you're gonna have some dusty starches on the outside of 111 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: that grain, yeah, um, and those will wash off in 112 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: the cooking liquid. Meanwhile, the starches in the rice gobble 113 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: up liquid, and the rice expands as it cooks, and 114 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: those starches that washed off also absorb liquid, creating a 115 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: thick sauce around the rice grains. And this is why 116 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: you never want to rinse rice for a risotto before 117 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: you cook it. Okay, okay, so um. You cook the 118 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: rice until the liquid has been absorbed, leaving you with 119 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: a saucy pot of rice which you can then further 120 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: season or gussy up with a cream and or cheese 121 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: and or any number of mix ins or toppings from 122 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: herbs to cooked vegetables to cooked meat, or you can 123 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: cook some of those things, uh right right in there 124 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: along with the rice. That's sort of beside the point 125 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: right now, because yeah, the the texture of the rice 126 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: and how you cook it are going to determine the 127 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: rice's final texture, and that is this is a rice dish. 128 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: The final texture is really key in a risotto, and 129 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: regarding that texture, more amalase and less total exposure to 130 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: heat both lead to stiffer, more al dente final textures, 131 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: whereas more MLO pepton and more total exposure to heat 132 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: will lead to softer or or even gooey final textures. 133 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: And most people will tell you that all dente is 134 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: what you're looking for in a risotto, that the ultimate 135 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: risotto is toothsome but has this lovely, thick, creamy textured 136 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: sauce from all of that starch, helped out by whatever 137 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 1: fats you've added to the pot. And there are some 138 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: opinions about the best way or ways to cook risotto 139 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: to achieve this. Um again, it depends on both of 140 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: those factors that heat and the type of rice you're using. UM. 141 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: A lot of recipes argue about stirring, whether you need 142 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: to stir it constantly, whether you shouldn't stir it basically 143 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: at all, UM and the act of stirring. The thing is, 144 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter much in itself because you're you're not 145 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: really breaking starches off of the grains of rice by stirring. 146 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: UM that they wash right off of the surface of 147 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 1: the rice. Uh. So you're only going to add more 148 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: starch to the to the to the pot by stirring. 149 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: If the rice is like well cooked and you're breaking 150 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: the rice up. Uh. Stirring a lot will lower the 151 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: temperature in the pot, and so that can either be 152 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: helpful or lead to accidentally overcooking it, or be totally neutral, 153 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: depending on how high you turn up the heat and 154 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: what kind of pan you're using. Again, it's the total heat, 155 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: not the stirring. UM. Stirring can also help prevent um 156 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: the bottom of the risotto from burning and the top 157 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: from undercooking, depending on those same factors. Though. Also another 158 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: thing that recipes love to argue about is um when 159 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 1: and how to add the liquid, like all at once 160 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: or in small doses. And again it just depends on 161 00:09:54,840 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: the heat and the type of rice. Oh man, this 162 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: is making me nervous. People Remember and I in our 163 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: rice episode, I I shared how I basically cannot cook 164 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 1: rice and I don't know why or how or what's 165 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: going wrong. And it's a joke. It's a running joke 166 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 1: among my friends that I just can't figure it out. 167 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 1: It's pancakes and rice apparently out of my wheelhouse. Um. 168 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: Hearing all of this, my heart's having some palpitations. It 169 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: depends on so many factors, and that's part of why 170 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: it can be really difficult to get it right, especially 171 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: if you're doing it on the stovetop, and especially if 172 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: you're just not familiar with the with the physics and 173 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: the chemistry of the specific type of rice that you're using, 174 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: like which kinds of starch molecules it has in there, 175 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: and and what what they're what they're doing. I took 176 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: a lot of physics, Lauren, and it's not helping me 177 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: out with this rice question. I need to go back 178 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: to the basics. Okay, my old physics books. Do some calculation. Um, 179 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: I I can I can help you trouble shoot with 180 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 1: a specific type of rice. But unfortunately there's no like 181 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: like cure all for like how to just do it good. 182 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: I think I have a curse on me. Honestly, I 183 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: think I have a very specific curse that is a 184 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: very specific curse, and it's that you cannot make rice. 185 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: And I actually think I know who did it. So 186 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: oh hey guy, oh yeah, Well we got a big 187 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: fight about rice how to cook it, um when I 188 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: was young, and uh, I think it was him for sure. 189 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: So heck, if you have any rice curse, Um, that's 190 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: like a separate category of knowledge that I can tap into. 191 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,559 Speaker 1: But um, I'll see what I can do. I'll let 192 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: you know, okay, perfect, thank you. Um. Meanwhile, in terms 193 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: of risotto, my very favorite food writer Jake Henji Lopez 194 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: Alt did a write up about risotto over on Serious Eats, 195 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: including the results of a few casual experiments, and um, 196 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,719 Speaker 1: pretty much as always, I recommend checking that out. Um. 197 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: His his very best version of of risotto hows you 198 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: cook the rice with like of your cooking liquid on 199 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: low heat in a shallow pan with a cover, stirring 200 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: once um like halfway through, and then finishing on higher 201 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: heat with the remaining liquid to um to thin the 202 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: sauce out to taste. And it also has you rinse 203 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: the rice, which I know I said earlier rinsing the 204 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: rice is bad. Um, but but you, um, you use 205 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: the cooking liquid as your rice rinsing liquid, so all 206 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: that good starchiness will get added back in as you 207 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: add the cooking liquid. Um. And it also means that 208 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: you can toast the rice at the beginning of cooking, 209 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: adding like good toasty flavors in without losing any of 210 00:12:55,280 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: that good creamy sauciness. Ah. Yeah, very clever. Yeah. Um. 211 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: And yeah, I mean, like the specific qualities of the 212 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: dish that you wind up with are going to depend 213 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: so much on what you add to it. I mean, 214 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: you know, super basic, it's it's a it's a stewy 215 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: rice dish, creamy stewy rice dish. But yeah, you know 216 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: it's going to be creamy and kind of chewy and 217 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: and rich and comforting and so carbi and flavored with 218 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: whatever you choose to add in there. Ah. That sounds 219 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: so good. Yeah, it sounds so good. Um. Well what 220 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: about the nutrition. I Okay, again, it depends on what 221 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: you add, but generally a risotto is not a health food. Um. 222 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: It's it's mostly white rice and broth when you get 223 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: down to it, so it tends to be pretty heavy 224 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: on the carbs and fat in sort of light on 225 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 1: protein and vege. So like it'll fill you up real 226 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: good um. But it's best paired with um plenty of 227 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: vegetables mixed in um and a little bit of extra 228 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: protein to help keep you going. Yes, um. And it's 229 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: hard to come by many numbers when it comes to risotto, 230 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: but Italy is Europe's top producer of rice, and pretty 231 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: much every region in Italy has a specific type of 232 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: rosotto that they have specialized. Yes, absolutely, and we're going 233 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: to talk about some of those. But first we're gonna 234 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: take a quick break for a word from our sponsor, 235 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: and we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, thank you. As 236 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: with almost everything we talked about, the origin of risotto 237 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: is a bit murky, difficult to find exact sources for um. 238 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: You can check out our rice episode from more History 239 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: and Rice specifically. This is also the episode that almost 240 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: broke my brain and I know joke had a nightmare 241 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: about it a couple of nights ago. Oh my gosh, 242 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: because of this risotto episode, or I think, yeah, I 243 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: think it bought back memories and I had a nightmare 244 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: that I was still trying to understand rice and I 245 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: just couldn't do it. So you can go and check 246 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: out me trying to understand rice in that episode. And 247 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: we also have done a gluteness rice episode. But when 248 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: it comes to the rice that eventually made its way 249 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: to Italy for Risotto, it probably originated in China, where 250 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: rice was domesticated over eight thousand years ago, so yeah, 251 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: pretty old. When it comes to the question of how 252 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: rice made it to Italy, historians think it could have 253 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: been introduced through multiple ways at different times, but there 254 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: isn't documentation to confirm that. It's sort of just it 255 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: would make sense based on other things. But the first 256 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: documented case of rice cultivation in Italy didn't crop up 257 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: until fourteen sixty, related to the Spanish presence in the 258 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 1: Kingdom of Naples due to the ties between the Duke 259 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: of Milan and the King of Naples, but it could 260 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: have been there much earlier. The Arabs might have introduced 261 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: the rice to Italy in the Middle Ages when they 262 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: occupied Sicily during the tenth century, and that would make 263 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: sense because they had rice researchers think Venetian traders might 264 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: have also imported rice. Yeah, definitely. The rice adapted well 265 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: and production of cells went up, and it eventually became 266 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: a staple in certain parts of Italy, and one of 267 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: those places was Milan, a city already known for saffron. 268 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: Oh saffron episode in the future. Oh yeah, maybe soon, 269 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: that's I yeah, I want to spend on our short 270 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: list for for a while, and so many interesting facts 271 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: kept popping up about it when I was researching this, 272 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: and I had to just shut it down. Not no, 273 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: I not know, um, but briefly, saffron came to Italy 274 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: from Spain or perhaps by those same Arab conquerors. Another 275 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: popular legend claims it might have been smuggled into the 276 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: country by a Dominican monk. And I have to say 277 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,719 Speaker 1: a lot of smuggling our legends of smuggling in the 278 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: story of the Soto, So there you go. Monks began 279 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: growing rice in the Piedmont region in the fourteenth century 280 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: the Piedmont region of Italy. A fourteen seventy five letter 281 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: written by the Duke of Milan at the time came 282 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: with the descriptions of the rice fields in that area 283 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,439 Speaker 1: up until eighteen thirty nine, the rice grown in Italy 284 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: was probably almost exclusively a variety known as home grown 285 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: or nostrale, and this was a species that was vulnerable 286 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: to a fungal disease called rice blast rice blast that 287 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: does not sound good. This change when a monk in 288 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: the Philippines snuck a handful of Japonica varieties of rice 289 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: back to Italy, Oregon, so the legend goes. It's mentioned 290 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,400 Speaker 1: in a couple of places, but hard to say in 291 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: either case of how these different varieties got there. Um 292 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: It eventually led to the development of new hybrids, including 293 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: the short grained carnaroli and arboreo, which are great options 294 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: when it comes to rosotto. As Laurence said at the top, 295 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 1: in rice varieties were imported from Japan, China, and India, 296 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: leading to more hybrids and more variety. The first rosotta 297 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: recipe started appearing in the eighteen hundreds, which contradicts a 298 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: very popular legend about the dish that goes back to 299 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 1: fifteen seventy four, involving a well known glassmaker, Valerio of Flanders, 300 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 1: and the story goes that Valerio's son in law and 301 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: also was his assistant. This guy loves saffron so much 302 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: people called him saffron like used saffron to stay in 303 00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:00,360 Speaker 1: glass in Milan's cathedral. Level of loved it. So as 304 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: a prank of Valerio, mixed some saffron coloring with rice, 305 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: used saffron to color the rice, and turns out it 306 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: was delicious. This probably didn't happen, but it is very, 307 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: very popular story that gets told a lot um. Until 308 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: the seventeenth century, record suggests that rice in Italy was 309 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: eaten pretty plainly, um boiled and water perhaps even sweetened. 310 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean that there were no variations, but kind 311 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: of the baseline was pretty plain. In the fifteenth century, 312 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 1: a Milanese chef named the Maestro Martino included a recipe 313 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: for rice boiled and meat broth with eggs added in 314 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 1: at the end of the process in his book The 315 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: Art of Cooking, so that could be one of Risotto's predecessors. 316 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: In seventeen seventy nine we see the first indications that 317 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: people were eating rice salted with butter and served with froth, 318 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: sometimes with a chopped onion on a wider scale. In 319 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: eighteen o nine, the first known recipe for rizo jallo 320 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: padilla appeared in a cookbook, and this stuff sounds so delicious. 321 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: It's rice, salt, dad and beef broth, marrow, butter, onion, 322 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: and then served with saffron infused broth. Oh oh, it 323 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: isn't until that chef Felice Luraski out of Milan named 324 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: it risotto ala milanaise jolo. His specific recipe called for 325 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: violone nano are conna rolli, rice, onion, butter, parmesan cheese, 326 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: white wine, marrow, salt, broth and saffron. I think that 327 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: bone marrow has to be the ingredient that my risotto 328 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: has been missing. And I never even knew it, but 329 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 1: I mean, of course it should be in there. It's meat, butter, 330 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 1: it's so good, of course. Oh well, now next time 331 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: you make it, you know, all I need to do 332 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 1: is get my hands on some bone marrow. Cool, easy, 333 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: right now, yeah, absolutely simple. And this is a really famous, 334 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: well known type of rossotto. Yeah all right, now we 335 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: gotta talk about fashion him because you never know where 336 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 1: the rest the research will take you. All right. So, 337 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 1: during fascist rule in Italy, the government attempted to make 338 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: risotto the national dish as part of that, a National 339 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: Rice Board was formed with the main goal of getting 340 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 1: people to eat more rice. They released pamphlets with wonderful 341 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: simple names like rice as Health and eat rice rice 342 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: is a staple at mess halls and schools as a 343 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: part of this um and they were economic motivations behind 344 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: this push, but also uh not so great ideological reasons. 345 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: So okay, there was at the time this futurist movement 346 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: founded by Italian poet Filippo Tomaso Marina. Basically they promoted 347 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:56,399 Speaker 1: giving up the old ways and embracing modernity. And this 348 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: was the rabbit hole. Another rabbit hole I really had 349 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: to shut myself off from because I had never I've 350 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: probably heard of it, but I didn't know much about it. 351 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 1: But this guy, very eccentric, shall we say. This idea 352 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: came to him after he almost hit two people on 353 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: their bikes while he was in a car or something, 354 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:20,199 Speaker 1: and he thought bike's must go only cars now. And also, 355 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: just to make it clear, when we talk about futurism today, 356 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: that's a different thing, or largely a different thing. There 357 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: are some connections, but it's not really what we're talking 358 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: about here. So all right, Anyway, this Italian futurist movement 359 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: crafted the idea of the quote fascist man, and this 360 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: was a hyper masculine, aggressive, energetic and violent man. And 361 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: to be clear, this is something Marinita believed men should 362 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: strive for, that that was a good thing, and he 363 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: thought women were too effeminate to keep up with the 364 00:22:55,920 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: change that the futurist movement proposed. All right, so there's that, 365 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:06,640 Speaker 1: But pasta got all wrapped in this too. Um. Marinita 366 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: blamed pasta for quote sluggishness, pessimism, passivity, and neutralism of Italians. 367 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 1: A futurists manifesto went as far as to call for 368 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: the abolition of pasta completely because they thought that pasta 369 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: couldn't keep up with modern life, or it couldn't give 370 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: you the energy that you needed to keep up with 371 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: modern life. All right. In its place, they suggested rice 372 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: and risotto, and specifically rice grown in Italy. Um. And 373 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: there's another pamphlet that included recipes swapping out the pasta 374 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: of dishes like bollionnaise for rice. So just getting rid 375 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: of pasta completely, whatever recipes. You know that posta didn't 376 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: switch it out for rice, So that was the whole thing. 377 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: Then in there was a film called Rizo Amorrow or 378 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: Bitter Rice, and this was a documentary detailing deplorable conditions 379 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: of the workers of Italy's rice patties. Two years later, 380 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 1: because this was a really impactful film, it even got 381 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: nominated for an Academy Award. UM, a market research institute, 382 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: conducted a survey all across the country to see if 383 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: the film had changed people's attitudes around rice, and while 384 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 1: several respondents did cite the film as turning them off 385 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: of rice, it didn't seem to impact their rate of 386 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: consumption that much, Like they'd be like, yeah, I don't 387 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: like it as much, makes me feel bad, but I'll 388 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: still neat it sort of UM And yeah, risotto was 389 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: one of those dishes that UM didn't make it very 390 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: far out of Italy, certainly not over to UM to 391 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: the United States until probably the nineteen eighties, like the 392 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: late nineteen eighties along with them, so some of the 393 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,400 Speaker 1: some of the wider u cultural food movements that were 394 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 1: happening around here at the time, I think when it 395 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: started to really show up in force and restaurants with 396 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:04,120 Speaker 1: around UM. So I would say that we are currently 397 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: living in in a renaissance of risotto here in the US, 398 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 1: where we started to grow grains in California that are 399 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,360 Speaker 1: very similar to those grown in northern Italy that can 400 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 1: be used for it. And yeah, it's it's more much 401 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: more widely available. And Seinfeld, yeah, there you go, there 402 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: you go. Definitely brought it into my cultural awareness and knowledge, 403 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 1: and it was the whole reason I tried it. So, 404 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: I mean to be fair, if anyone's seen that episode, 405 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: you probably know why. But it was it was a 406 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,160 Speaker 1: very sung the praises of it, for sure, did it did? 407 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:48,639 Speaker 1: It was a very positive portrayal of its effect on people. Yes, 408 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: absolutely agree. And apparently now there are restaurants in New 409 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: York that have sixteen different types. So yeah, and speaking 410 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: of that, we're totally going to read that listener mail. 411 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, but first we're going to take one more 412 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: quick break for wild first sponsor and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 413 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: thank you, and we're back with listener. I feel like that. 414 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,440 Speaker 1: I imagine that's what a warm bowl of risotto would 415 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: feel like right now. It's like a like a like 416 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: a big hug. Yeah, like a relaxing, warm hug. Mm hmm. 417 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: That's where I get my hugs from these days, from 418 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: from my food and my bumblebee pillow pit that seen 419 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: in many meetings. Those names Ruby Ruby, oh yeah, but 420 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,959 Speaker 1: my little brother calls her Rudy because she also has 421 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: a big red nose, so like Rudolph. L oh yeah, Hey, 422 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: all forms of hugs are are valid and accepted. Thank you, Lauren, 423 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: You're welcome. So Emerald the inspiration for this episode. She wrote, 424 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: I have been listening to the show since the last summer, 425 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,239 Speaker 1: and I adore it. I'll thank you, and I've had 426 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: some time to catch up on episodes, especially while I cook, 427 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: which brings me to my biggest craving during this quarantine, rosotto. 428 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: A little background, I was a server at a restaurant 429 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: called Ristoria Malatti, and yes it is exactly what it 430 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: sounds like. It is a small hole in the wall 431 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: place as a menu comprise of sixteen to twenty different 432 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 1: types of risotto. It was my first time experiencing risotto 433 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: and since then I cannot look at the dish the 434 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: same way again now because I live in Brooklyn, they 435 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 1: would be outside of my delivery radius and I do 436 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: not believe they're currently open. So today I followed the 437 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: influence of Julia Child and took the plunge to make 438 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 1: it myself. The rice traditionally used is arboreo, so of 439 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: course it is not stocked regularly at Trader Joe's, where 440 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: I usually do my shopping. I had to plan a 441 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: special trip or should I say, quest the whole foods, 442 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 1: just to get it. Since we're in a pandemic. I 443 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: was lucky they had rice at all, but the only 444 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 1: short grain rice they had available was brown rice. I had, officially, 445 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: due to myself, two hours of stirring and ladling hot 446 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,959 Speaker 1: vegetable stock into the pan. In the restaurant, they pre 447 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: cooked the rice so it takes only ten minutes to 448 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: make a plate. My endeavor took me the entirety of 449 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 1: your episodes on the colins and flax seed, however, and 450 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 1: I couldn't believe it. I made it almost as good 451 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 1: as the restaurant. Shame. The rice was slightly undercooked, but 452 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: for a first time risotto chef, I counted as a win. 453 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: I've included it picks up the process and execution. It 454 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 1: is panchetta and asparagus risotto with parmesan, garlic and onion. 455 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: Please ignore my messy steptop you would probably find risotto 456 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: to be an interesting topic for an episode waited. Everyone 457 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: in their no no will have different opinions. How to 458 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: make it? Oh, I have context and Verona, Italy, who 459 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: would be ecstatic talking your ear off about their rice 460 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: farm and Risottorea Malati savor field trip to Italy and 461 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: you forever in New York after the plaguelifts, I would 462 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 1: be happy to take you both out for risotto. That 463 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: all sounds so good. Oh gosh, yes, yes, I are are. 464 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: Our list of travel plans is really only increasing. Um. Yeah, 465 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 1: it's quite long, but I would very much love to 466 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: go to Italy and try something. Yes, oh and talk 467 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: to rice farmers. Oh so much, so much, so oh, 468 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: thank you so much for writing in Also, Taylor wrote, 469 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: when I was fifteen, I pulled a final act that 470 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: made my grandmother and my mom followed through with their 471 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 1: promise of sending me to reform school over the summer. 472 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: Being a tomboy, the thought of six weeks at a 473 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: camp where I was taught proper manners, sewing, conversation, and 474 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: all other proper lady trappings made me angry. There's no 475 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: getting out of it, no matter how much I pleaded 476 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: with my mom, and I spent six sullen weeks away. 477 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: I got back in time for my sixteenth birthday, and 478 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: my dad, trying to mend some bridges, asked me where 479 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: I wanted to go. Still quite miffed about being forced 480 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: to be proper, I picked the only place I could 481 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: think of to exact my revenge, medieval times. Fine, you 482 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: want to send me away to learn manners, then we're 483 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: going to eat with our hands for my birthday. Ha. 484 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: My dad, my biggest conspirator, knowingly smiled and winked, saying, 485 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: let's wait and surprise your mom when we get there. 486 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: We pulled up to the Grand Castle facade, and I 487 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 1: have never seen my mom so angry. After a tour 488 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: of the torture museum and some comments of huh no, 489 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: sending a kid away to reform school, my mom loosened 490 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: up and admitted defeat for one night. Only. Little did 491 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: she know that at reform school. The one piece of 492 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 1: information that I found interesting was that asparagus is the 493 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: only food that is proper to eat with your hands. 494 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: Apparently it was too hard to get the whole spears 495 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: onto the times of a fork, so it was more 496 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: graceful for ladies to nimbly munch with their hands for 497 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: a solid week straight. I requested asparagus for dinner. Nothing 498 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: but asparagus. To this day, if we eat asparagus, my 499 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: mom groans because she knows she can't stop me from 500 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: eating with my hands. That is an excellent revenge story. 501 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, that's beautiful food revenge. I love it 502 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:39,719 Speaker 1: and many times in there, right, I mean, that was 503 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: a perfect, perfect idea, excellently executed. Yes, heck, and I 504 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: didn't know that about asparagus. Yeah, I mean that didn't 505 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: come up in my research. But then again, I'm very 506 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: rarely looking for manners related content. Um, I'm always delighted 507 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: when it comes up because it always seems completely wacky 508 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: to me. I never if y'all couldn't tell about me, 509 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: I like, never went to finishing school or nothing like that. Um. 510 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: But uh but no, never had a contillion none, none, 511 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: none of that noise. Um. So yeah, it's it's a 512 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: very foreign and fascinating world to me. Um, And I'm glad. 513 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: I'm glad that you came out the other side with 514 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 1: nothing but ire and excellent revenge schemes. Always good. Well, 515 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: thanks to both of them for writing. If you would 516 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: like to write to us, you can. Our email is 517 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: hello at savor pod dot com. We're also on social media. 518 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at 519 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 1: savor pod and we do hope to hear from you. 520 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: Savor is production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts 521 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, you can visit the I Heart Radio app, 522 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 523 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our superproducers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. 524 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: Thanks to you for listening, and we hope that lots 525 00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: more good things are coming your way.