Good Food
Growing Japanese rice in California
Like anything in America, the story of rice is not monolithic. Just look at California, where rice has been grown in the region surrounding the Sacramento Valley for more than a century.
By Evan Kleiman • • 1 min readLike anything in America, the story of rice is not monolithic. Just look at California, where rice has been grown in the region surrounding the Sacramento Valley for more than a century. Unlike rice varieties found in the American South, short and medium grain Japanese rice varieties like Calrose, Koshihikari, and Akitakomachi have been the most successful here. If there is rice royalty in California, then Robin Koda and her brother, Ross, of Koda Family Farms are it. Robin shares the story of her family’s farm, starting with her grandfather’s immigration from Japan to seek his fortune.
The full episode
3 of 6
Rice: how we grow, cook, and eat it- 0:00Using a ‘ricebreaker’ to start a conversation about cultural identity
- 9:49How did rice find its way to the American South?
- 20:14Growing Japanese rice in CaliforniaYou’re reading this
- 31:14Stirring up controversy in a paella pan
- 40:41The rice cooker: liberating generations of chefs
- 49:15‘In the Weeds’: golden, crispy domes bring solace
The full episode
3 of 6Rice: how we grow, cook, and eat it- 0:00Using a ‘ricebreaker’ to start a conversation about cultural identity
- 9:49How did rice find its way to the American South?
- 20:14Growing Japanese rice in CaliforniaYou’re reading this
- 31:14Stirring up controversy in a paella pan
- 40:41The rice cooker: liberating generations of chefs
- 49:15‘In the Weeds’: golden, crispy domes bring solace