RICE SOMMELIER

section.1 100 varieties at the height of rice season! Who knew there were so many?

First, Robin visited Suzunobu, a renowned rice shop in Tokyo, where there is a rice
sommelier on staff. Exactly what is a rice sommelier? Robin found out directly from
owner and rice sommelier himself, Toyozou Nishijima.

What is a rice sommelier?

NISHIJIMA When people choose a wine, people consult a sommelier to find a wine they like, right? It's the same thing. In order to become certified as a "Rice Meister", you need to learn about rice and to differentiate between various characteristics and blends. I think that a rice sommelier's role is to use that knowledge to help revitalize rice-growing regions and to help communicate the farmer's passion to the consumer.
ROBIN I see. That's why you carry rice from so many different regions. How many varieties do you have in your store?
NISHIJIMA Usually we have 60 varieties. During harvest season, we have around 100.
ROBIN Really, that many?!
NISHIJIMA Even within the Koshihikari variety, the aroma differs completely depending on the region the rice is grown in.

New brands born all the time.

ROBIN What variety is your top recommendation at the moment?
NISHIJIMA I would say rice from Hokkaido. Traditionally, Hokkaido was too cold for growing rice, but the results of plant breeding and other advances have made it a prominent rice-producing region. Kitakurin here is a new variety, and within the Tokyo area, it is only available at this store. This variety is characterized by its soft and sticky texture.
ROBIN So it's a variety that's just come on the market. Maybe by next year, it will have become a very popular, high-end brand!

section.2 Finding the right rice for you with a rice sommelier.

After an introduction to the different varieties of rice at Suzunobu, Robin asked rice sommelier, Mr. Nishijima, for advice on finding the right rice for him. Rice is also the main staple of the Taiwanese diet, so Mr. Nishijima asked Robin about the type of rice he usually prefers to figure out what to recommend.

Aroma, taste, and stickiness make for delicious rice!

NISHIJIMA What type of rice do you usually prefer?
ROBIN I enjoy rice with a rich aroma.
NISHIJIMA What about stickiness?
ROBIN I like my rice to be firm and chewy, but not too sticky.
NISHIJIMA I see. It seems you prefer a texture that is described as mochi-mochi in Japanese
ROBIN I think there is mochi-mochi rice in Taiwan as well.
NISHIJIMA Actually, even within mochi-mochi types of rice, there are differences in aroma and grain size. Let's see... For you, Robin, I recommend Tenkū no Sato Hinohikari rice from Kochi Prefecture. It is grown in rice paddies located on mountains, where there are large differences in atmospheric temperature. This results in rice that is firm and sweet. The grains are also large and have a strong aroma.
ROBIN Yes, it has a crisp, fragrant aroma! By the way, all of the rice in your shop is brown rice, correct? Why is that?
NISHIJIMA That's because I choose the rice according to the customer's preferences, and then I mill it according to their preferences as well. Also, once rice is milled, its flavor drops drastically so stocking unmilled brown rice preserves its flavor.

Examining freshly milled rice.

NISHIJIMA Here's the milled rice.
ROBIN The grains are very large and white. Oh, it seems like its aroma has gotten stronger too. Let me taste it... Delicious! The aroma of the rice is so fragrant, even though it hasn't been cooked yet. And I think there's a bit of saltiness there too... I don't know why, but it tastes a bit like popcorn.
NISHIJIMA Amazing! Actually, this farm utilizes salt (in the form of sea water) in their rice paddies to bring out the flavor of the rice. And a popcorn like aroma is one of the characteristics of this variety of rice. Even Japanese people might not notice this. This is a first!
ROBIN All I did was describe what I felt! I'm looking forward to eating this rice cooked. Earlier, you mentioned that the flavor of the rice deteriorates after it is milled, but how long will it last?
NISHIJIMA I deally, it should be eaten in around a week to 10 days. Just like any fresh produce, the sooner you eat it, the better. But it's hard to finish it all within that amount of time, isn't it? To preserve it, I recommend putting it in the refrigerator. It will still be delicious for about a month and a half.

Special techniques even for washing rice!

KOBORI While we're at it, let's cook these 3 types of rice— Itano-san's Milky Queen from Yamagata, which has the softest texture, Algit Rice Koshihikari from Toyama, and Tenkū no Sato Nikomaru, which is the most sticky and chewy.
ROBIN Yes, please! Can you also teach me how to cook rice well?
KOBORI 「Of course. The first step is washing the rice. They say that 70% of the moisture within cooked rice is the water it first comes into contact with. That's why we first use mineral water. The initial rinse also releases a lot of bran and dirt, so the water should be discarded after a quick rinse. Then we actually start washing the rice by running our hand through it. First, run your hand through the rice 10 times. Rinse with tap water, drain, and then run your hand through the rice 50 times. Rinse and drain again and run your hand through another 50 times.
ROBIN You don't use water when running your hands through the rice?
KOBORI That's right. It's the friction between the grains of rice that rid it of brand and dirt, so I drain the water when running my hands through it, and use water for the rinse.

Let the grains absorb water for fluffier, softer rice.

ROBIN So you add water and cook the rice after washing, right?
KOBORI No, not for a while! After measuring the rice into a clay donabe pot, I add the appropriate amount of water to be absorbed by the rice— ideally overnight or at least 5 hours minimum. You need to let the rice absorb the water properly, to let it meld together. Rice that has been submerged in water overnight becomes very soft and fluffy. Finally, we adjust the amount of water in the pot and then begin cooking.
ROBIN How long do you cook it?
KOBORI First you cook it on high heat for 5 minutes, then on low for 6 minutes, and then you turn back the heat to high for 11 seconds, and then you let it steam for 13 minutes with the heat off.
ROBIN Really?! You adjust the heat so delicately! Such attention to detail! And the taste of this rice?... Mmmm, delicious! Every grain is shiny like a pearl. Milky Queen is a lot firmer than I esxpected. Koshihikari is very fluffy. All three are delicious in their own way, but if I had to make a choice, I like Tenkū no Sato Nikomaru the best. It seems I prefer rice with a chewy texture.