Arborio Rice

Photo: Curt

About

A short-grain Italian rice used for risotto, a dish of rice cooked in stock. Its name is taken from a village in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.

Information

Translations: Arborio Rīsi, Arborio Ryžiai, Orez Arborio, Ryż arborio, Arborio rijst, Arborio राइस, Arroz Arborio, Арборио Райс, Ρύζι Arborio, Arborio رايس, Arborio 라이스, Arborio Beras, 阿尔博里奥水稻, D'arròs Arborio, Riso Arborio, Arborio רייס, Арборио Рајс, アルボーリオライス, Riz arborio, Arborio Reis, Arborio Ris, De arroz Arborio, Арбор Райс, Arborio Райс

Physical Description

Short, fat and slightly oval-shaped, arborio rice has a pearly white exterior. There are various size designations, of which superfino, the largest grain size, is the one most commonly used in the United States.

Colors: white

Tasting Notes

Flavors: creamy, sweet

Mouthfeel: Chewy

Selecting and Buying

Buying: All these types of rice are readily available at specialty Italian grocery stores and gourmet markets. Certain supermarkets and health stores may also stock them. Many online stores ship both domestic and international rice varieties all over the world.

Procuring: Small polished kernels that develop a creamy consistency. It is a medium rice with a characteristic white dot at the center of the grain. The high-starch kernels of this Italian-grown grain are shorter and fatter than any medium grown rice. When properly cooked, arborio rice develops a unique texture with a starchy creamy surface and a firm bite in the center. It has an exceptional ability to absorb flavors. It is close to California medium grain in appearance and texture. There are varieties of arborio rice grown in California that are as good as Italian varieties.

Social/Political

Arborio rice is a short-grain type that was developed and first grown in the Italian town of Arborio located in the fertile Po Valley. Its distinctive creamy outer texture and slightly chewy center make Arborio rice a popular choice to make the savory side dish risotto. The velvety dessert called rice pudding also benefits from the high starch content and softly rounded grain of Arborio rice.

History: Rice is widely perceived to have fed more humans than any other grain in history. Its cultivation has been traced back many years before the first sign of any civilized culture, around 1500 B.C. No mention of rice can be found in the history of the Western Hemisphere prior to the arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century. Its existence in North America was first recorded in 1685.