YumSugar

Discovering the Subtle Flavor of Forbidden Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:26:41 -0800

The folks at Lotus Foods recently sent a few samples of their exotic rice. The company specializes in handcrafted rice from small family farms in remote areas of the world, and it has marketed several heirloom rice varieties that may otherwise have become extinct. It also works closely with the small family farms in order to provide them with an "honorable living." It's an interesting concept, and I must admit, the bags of green, red, and black rice have often caught my eye at the grocery store. Yet looks and mission are one thing; what I wanted to know is how it tasted. To find out if it's worth more than $4 for a pound of rice, read more.

The first rice I tasted was the Jade Pearl Rice. The Jade Pearl was like a regular medium-grain rice, but with a slight green tint and subtle bamboo flavor. The website claims a "light vanilla taste," but I didn't experience that at all.

The second rice I tasted was the intriguingly black Organic Forbidden Rice. It cooked up quickly and surprised me with its nutty taste. The texture was a little bit nuttier than regular rice; it reminded me of short-grain brown rice. The color was fantastic and looked great with my dinner. However, the cooking process was a bit messy. When I took the lid off of the pot, the condensation dripped down and I noticed my white stove was splattered with purple dots.

So, given that the price is quite steep - 11.25 pounds of the Organic Forbidden Rice sells for $49.08, while 10 pounds of standard Calrose rice can be found for $10.18 - would I buy it again? The answer is yes, but I probably wouldn't make it my everyday rice. As much as I liked the flavor and the company mission, I just didn't find it economically sensible. However, I would definitely pick up some for a dinner party or as a treat to myself. Either way, it's worth trying, and if it becomes an expensive habit of yours, don't say I didn't warn you first!

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Does Organic Booze Cure Hangovers?

partysugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:00:52 -0700

By now, we know that organic food is better for your health and the environment than non-organic food, but what about organic alcohol? How exactly does the organic booze affect the morning after? Recently Sean Evans, a writer for the New York Daily News, put organic liqueur to the test. One night he drank only organic cocktails and the next night he imbibed their exact counterparts. Starting with the organic, he compared his hangovers:

There was no headache, and at first everything felt groggy. But despite being slightly slow, after a quick shower nearly all symptoms had dissipated. There was no nausea, no stomach pain; no normal hangover feelings. But the next morning was completely different. Everything felt sluggish and slow, and there was a dull headache, which lingered for a few hours. My churning stomach was quelled only after lying down for an extra hour, and several bottles of water were needed before an attempt to truly start the day could occur.

Being a huge fan of Lotus vodka, it's no surprise to me that the organic alcohol made him feel less hungover. So do you drink organic alcohol? If so, have you noticed a difference in your hangovers?

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Chinese New Year Fun Facts

partysugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:57:32 -0800

Boy is it my lucky week: two holidays = two lists of fun facts... Woo-hoo! I am jumping for joy at my desk right now. I enjoy collecting random bits of useless knowledge about traditional holidays and festivals. It's my secret weapon: when I'm at a party and suddenly find myself at a loss for words, I simply state one of my fun facts. If you get nervous about attending parties where you don't know a lot of people, I highly recommend memorizing a few interesting, yet completely pointless facts. The Chinese are very superstitious and there are lots of little things you should and should not do on and around the New Year. Did you know that to cry on New Year's Day is to cry all year long, so children are indulged and never spanked on Chinese New Year? Or that Chinese New Year is actually celebrated over a 15 day long period? To learn the politically correct name of Chinese New Year and much more, read more

The politically correct term is now Lunar New Year, as opposed to Chinese New Year since many Asian cultures other than China's observe the lunar calendar.
The Chinese year is based on the cycles of the moon. This is called a lunar schedule (hence the Lunar New Year).
A complete cycle of the Chinese calendar takes 60 years.
The Chinese calendar dates back to 2600 B.C. It is the oldest known calendar.
2007 is the Year of the Boar (pig).
Red is considered a lucky color in China.
At one time wedding dresses were red.

The Chinese pay tribute to the Kitchen God at the end of a lunar year. The Kitchen God's mission is to inform the chief spirits of a family's behavior over the past year. A household burns a paper image of the Kitchen God, so that he may ascend to the Jade Emperor in the heavens. The Chinese include a paper horse to lift him on his journey, while the Vietnamese prefer a carp fish. Some families smear the lips of the Kitchen God with honey or sweet glutinous rice, to ensure he says sweet things about them.
According to superstition you must clean your house thoroughly to sweep away misfortune and make way for good luck and fortune in the coming year. The old year and its spirits are banished by sweeping the floors before New Year's Day. (Don't sweep on New Year's Day itself - you'll sweep away the New Year fortune if you do.)
The house should be decorated with paper cutouts of the words happiness, wealth and longevity.
Shooting fireworks on New Year's Eve scares away the old year, and households open up windows and doors at midnight as exits for the old year.

At New Year, special emphasis is placed on the symbology of different foods. Here are what a few foods symbolize:

Bamboo shoots = wealth
Black moss seaweed = wealth
Dried Bean Curd = happiness (note: fresh tofu is not served because the color white symbolizes death and misfortune in Chinese culture).
Chicken = happiness and marriage (especially when served with "dragon foods," such as lobster), family reunion (if served whole)

Eggs = fertility
Egg Rolls = wealth
Fish served whole = prosperity
Chinese garlic chives = everlasting, a long life
Lychee nuts = close family ties
Noodles = A long life
Oranges = wealth
Peanuts = a long life
Pomelo = abundance, prosperity, having children
Seeds = lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. - having a large number of children
Tangerines = luck

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