Cookbook Profile: The Amazing World of Rice

The Amazing World of Rice
with 150 Recipes
for Pilafs, Paellas, Puddings, and More

by Marie Simmons

World of Rice
Rice, a staple for billions of people on earth, is more than just a grain. Intertwined in the customs, language and arts of cultures worldwide, it is grown throughout the world, from the plains of Texas to the Andes Mountains (and nearly everywhere in between). Rice is rich in history, legend and folklore, particularly in Southeast Asia, where people believe it serves as the link between heaven and earth. In these countries, as in India, rice is the primary agricultural crop and is consumed at every meal, serving as sustenance as well as a symbol of fertility, beauty, sensitivity, prosperity, energy and life.

In The Amazing World of Rice, author and rice enthusiast Marie Simmons offers a complete reference work and cookbook on the world's most popular food, including, a detailed glossary of the dozens of varieties of rice, tips on selecting the right type for every dish, as well as the best ways to prepare and cook each kind.

The Amazing World of Rice offers more than 150 delicious and surprising recipes in nine chapters ranging, from "Risotto" and "Pilaf" to an entire chapter devoted to "Paella" and a chapter entitled "Rice Pudding: Savory and Sweet." Some of Simmons's outstanding recipes include Peruvian-Stvle Shrimp and Rice Chowder, Mussels and Saffron Rice Salad, Rice Balls Sushi-Style, Artichokes and Pancetta Risotto with Rosemary and Lemon, Curried Coconut Rice with Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, Green Beans and Cashews. In her tempting chapter on rice puddings, Simmons writes, "The ability to transform itself from a much-loved sweet dish eaten for breakfast or dessert to a savory side dish or main dish illustrates once again the outstanding versatility of this unassuming, much revered grain." The chapter includes recipes for Savory Spring Rice Custard with Goat Cheese, and Corn, Tomato and Rice Pudding with Chipotle Chile and Cheddar Custard. Sweet puddings include Baked Lemon-Custard Rice Pudding, Cinnamon and Sour Cherry Rice Pudding, Creamy Black Rice Pudding with Toasted Coconut and Mango and Wild Rice Pudding with Apricots in Vanilla Syrup. Other desserts, such as Ground Walnut and Rice Flour Balls, and Orange Rice Torte with Grand Marnier, round out the chapter.

The Amazing World of Rice is more than just a collection of rice recipes. In a clearly presented style, Simmons offers guidelines for buying and storing rice, as well as numerous methods for cooking rice, including shortcuts and tips for troubleshooting (quick fixes for undercooked or overcooked rice) as well as thrifty uses for leftover rice.

The Amazing World of Rice will be a timeless culinary resource for anyone who enjoys cooking and eating well.

About the Author

Marie Simmons writes the monthly "Cooking Healthy" column in Bon Appetit magazine and is also the author of several cookbooks, including Puddings A to Z, Lighter Quicker Better, The Good Egg, and 365 Ways to Cook Pasta.

Buy the Book!

The Amazing World of Rice
with 150 Recipes for Pilafs, Paellas, Puddings, and More
by Marie Simmons
William Morrow/HarperCollins
Paperback, 288 pages
Price: $19.95; $29.95 (CAN)
ISBN: 0060938420
Information provided by the publisher.