The Family of Rice

 

      Perhaps the most overlooked food staple in the world, rice is the main part of many meals.  Several countries export a million tons or more of this every year with (surprise) India being the largest.   Over the years I have just used whatever/whenever when I cooked, but in the past 10 years or so I have switched over to brown, Jasmine, and even wild rice at times.  

      Types of rice can be categorized by grain length (long, medium, short), by processing (white, brown, parboiled), by color (black, red, wild), or by specific variety (like Basmati, Jasmine, or Arborio). The grain length determines starch content and final texture, while processing affects nutrient levels, and unique varieties are prized for flavor and culinary use.

Here's a breakdown of common types:

By Grain Length

Long-grain rice:

(e.g., Basmati, Jasmine) Slender, firm, and fluffy when cooked, as it has more amylose (dry starch). 

Medium-grain rice:

(e.g., Arborio, Calrose) Shorter and wider, with a moist, tender texture that clings together when cooked. 

Short-grain rice:

(e.g., Sushi rice, Mochi rice) Plump, rounded grains that are soft, chewy, and sticky due to high amylopectin (sticky starch). 

      I use brown/wild rice for many dishes, especially casseroles where you are looking for an organic, nutty flavor.  For many of my Oriental, Creole, and Cajun dishes I defer to Basmati or Jasmine.  Jasmine is especially good when you want the end result to be 'fluffy'. 

Cashew Chicken w/Jasmine Rice

Chicken Sausage Gumbo w/Jasmine Rice

Brown Rice Salad w/Basmati Rice

Wild Rice Mushroom Casserole

      Adaptable to nearly any cuisine, rice adds not only adds flavor, but starch and fiber.  Wild rice might be the most particular pairing, but all the others are per taste and preference.  I thoroughly enjoy this staple although my wife doesn't.  I often substitute orzo for recipes that call for rice.  

"In Japanese, sushi does not mean raw fish. It means seasoned rice."

Guy Fieri

Bennethum's Northern Inn Gaylord, MI

 

      Not on the beaten path but well known throughout NW Michigan for its quality.  Voted Best Restaurant in Gaylord recently, it is often hard to obtain a reservation, especially during the summer tourist season.  Reservations are available to schedule online.  Unfortunately, online reservations require a credit card to confirm, something I'm not willing to provide.  I used email successfully.  Hard to remember the name, but not the meal!  Bennethums is located on old US 27 just south of Gaylord in Oak Grove across from Otsego Lake.  Open Tuesday - Saturday: 4PM-9PM, Closed Sunday & Monday.  Bennethum's

      They offer a menu loaded with a wide variety of choices.  Happy Hour, Snacks, Appetizers, Soups, and Salads not to mention the entrees and specials.  There is also a menu for Chop House Classics, Deserts, and a Kid's Menu.

  

      They have a choice selection of whitefish, oysters, perch, fresh salmon, and walleye.  They also offer choice beef filet mignon and ribeye, as well as very good Tomahawk Pork Chop.  

      Barb and I visited here midweek with our online email reservations.  We've always found this to be the best time to leisurely enjoy our meal.  It was packed, but we were promptly seated, and service was VERY GOOD.  We found the lighting to be a bit dark, for atmosphere I'm sure, but Barb didn't make her move so.......no harm no foul.   Barb selected the Filet Mignon Sliders while I went with the German Jaeger Schnitzel .  

     

      We found the food to be EXCELLENT.  The best Jaegar Schnitzel, Spaetzle, and Pickled Red Kraut I've had since my tour in Germany '75-78. Barb LOVED her fries.  She even had desert:  German Chocolate Cake, which she brought home.  I won't lie to you; the prices are pretty steep.  Our meal ran us $100, but it was worth every penny.  Sometimes you just have to GO FOR IT.  Truly one of NW Michigan finest!  

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."

 Benjamin Franklin 

Farm Fresh or Commercial?

 

      The United States produces over 100 billion eggs annually.  The industry is dominated by large-scale operations in the Midwest, with Iowa being the leading state. Production data shows a slight decrease in total eggs in 2023 compared to the year before, alongside a decrease in the number of laying hens but an increase in productivity per hen.  After the recent bird flu and COVID scare the price has once again begun to settle down to more reasonable levels. 

      Obviously, most of the eggs are for human consumption with the remainder be used for fertilized hatching, used for producing more chickens.  This was seriously impacted in recent years due to HPAI resulting in depopulation of hens.  They are rebounding.  

      Everyone loves eggs, flavor, protein, and nutrition.  There is, however, a significant difference between the ordinary 'store bought' eggs and those raised and sold from farmers.  Farm-fresh eggs typically offer a fresher taste, brighter orange yolks, and a thicker egg white due to the hens' varied diets of insects and greens, while store-bought eggs often have lighter yellow yolks, less-firm whites, and may be significantly older before reaching the consumer. Farm-fresh eggs also have a natural protective coating (bloom), which allows them to be stored unwashed at room temperature for longer periods, whereas commercial eggs are washed and require refrigeration to maintain freshness. However, store-bought eggs are generally more affordable and convenient, and their nutritional content can vary based on the specific farming practices used.  

        Farm Fresh Eggs go from hen to table in hours, leading to peak freshness. Commercial eggs can be 30-60 days old before they even hit store shelves, according to scratchandpeck.com. 

      Farm Fresh can contain more vitamins (A, D, E) and omega-3 fatty acids, especially from pasture-raised hens with diverse diets.  Most farm fresh eggs are 'free range'.  While the nutritional content of commercial eggs can vary widely but may be lower in certain vitamins and fats compared to eggs from hens with access to varied diets. 

      Farm-Fresh can be stored unwashed at room temperature for weeks thanks to a natural protective coating called the "bloom".  Commercial are washed to remove the bloom, requiring refrigeration and having a shorter shelf life.  One note:  Farm Fresh eggs are not pasteurized so cooking should be thorough to ensure elimination of any harmful bacteria.  

      Commercial egg prices run from $4-6 depending on size.  We pay anywhere from $3-4.50 for local farm fresh eggs.  We experience various sizes and shell colors, but the flavor is delicious.  As we do travel 6 months of the year, we always look for the availability of farm fresh eggs wherever we can.  

"Love and eggs are best when they are fresh" 

Russian Proverb

Shipshewana on the Road

 

      The origin of the name Shipshewana comes from its history as the home of Chief Shipshewana, a leader of the Potawatomi tribe who lived in the area during the early 19th century. The town's name serves as an honor to this Native American chief and the Potawatomi people who once inhabited the region. 

      Shipshewana on the Road was founded in 1992 by Darrell and Julie Lepper as a way to bring the unique vendors and products from the Shipshewana, Indiana flea market to other areas. The mobile shows allow the outdoor market's Amish artisans and dealers to sell their goods—including furniture, crafts, gifts, and unique items—at various locations across Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio throughout the year.  Many of these offerings are Amish.  Today this road show offers many such antiques, crafts, and foods.  

      We traveled the 30 miles northeast of our place to attend this year.  This type of event is Barb's thang, but I am just glad to get out of the house, especially if they have good food.  We got there on time, but there was a line about 50 yards long to get in.  YOWZA! 

      There were hundreds of folks there.  Not my cup of tea, but Barb had a good time, but it was really just another flea market.  There was lots of crafts, services with a pickle guy, sausage lady, artisan breads, a pretzel stand, and a makeshift BBQ.   There was little to no Amish merch.  I got some fudge, a pretzel, and some cherry cream cheese strudel.  Barb got a new wallet, some Christmas ornaments, and assorted stuff.  We got some lunch at BWW, then headed home.  The drive is really pretty this time of year with the trees nearing peak color.  

"At Motel 6 in Amish Country I wonder if they leave the light on for you?"

 Jay London

Polish Tacos

 

      This is a bit of a twist of fusion.  Simply a folded Polish Pierogi with ingredients resembling a taco.  Barb and I both love ethnic foods.  We have dined at the famous Tony Packo's in Toledo for their Polish Dogs and Chicken Paprikash.  Add some kraut, onions, and bacon and this could be the stairway to heaven.  A very interesting fusion of two great cuisines.  My only issue was finding or duplicating pierogi dough.  I had to make mine from scratch. 

2-4 Pierogi Dough Shells (recipe below)

1 ½ cups sauerkraut 

1 link of Polish Kielbasa, sliced

1 onion, sliced and fried

2 slices bacon, fried and crisped

Pierogi Dough Recipe

2 large room temperature eggs, beaten

1/3 cup lukewarm water, more as needed

½ tsp kosher salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed

      Gather the ingredients.   In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 large room temperature eggs, 1/3 cup lukewarm water, and salt.  Add 2 cups all-purpose flour all at once and mix with a wooden spoon until well moistened.

      Knead the dough in the bowl until it is firm and well mixed.  Cover with an overturned bowl or loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes to 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Heat sauerkraut and kielbasa in saucepan.  

      Form the dough into roughly the round size of 2-4 medium size tortillas.  Place on greased baking sheet or cast iron skillet and bake for 10-15 minutes only.  Fill (in order) sauerkraut, kielbasa, onions, and bacon chunks.  Serve warm. 

      I have to admit that working with Pierogi dough is not easy.  I'm not much of a baker anyways, if I made these again, I would look for commercial Pierogi dough.  They were plenty tasty, very hearty.  One is enough.  

"Fusion food as a concept is kind of trying to quite consciously fuse things that are sometimes quite contradictory, sometimes quite far apart, to see if they'd work"

Yotam Ottolenghi

The Diverse & Controversial Nutritional Value of the Hot Dog

 

      Sometimes I go to the more critical side of journalism on my blog, these topics can range from politics to life and most often to the cuisine arena.  Today, we will discuss the versatile American favorite, the hot dog.  Of course, Barb and I enjoy these as much as so most Americans.  

      The 'Frankfurter' was invented in Frankfurt, Germany and quickly emigrated to America.  The major difference between the two is frankfurters are mostly pork based, while the hotdog can be and usually is a variety of meats.  

      The entire process of hot dog construction is worthy of some concern as with most food these days there are entire too many processed food procedures, such as multi-meat fillers, nitrites, and chemical preservatives.  These are the #1 causes of colon cancer in the U.S.  There are several brand names to stay away from, most notably Ball Park Franks.  Only the whole beef variety of these is acceptable.  The best approach to take when buying a quality hot dog is to watch for the above mentioned All Beef label.  These are stuffed with only this and use a minimum number of preservatives.  Also, any brands that use chicken, pork, or turkey are much better and safer as well.    

These are the Top 10 brands of hot dogs (in terms of quality):

1.  Kirkland (COSTCO) Beef Dinner Franks

2.  Ambassador Old Fashioned Weiners

3.  Hebrew National Beef Franks

4.  Oscar Meyer Classic Weiners

5.  Sugardale Hot Dogs

6.  Nathan's Beef Franks

7.  Ballpark Bun Size All Beef Franks

8.  Vienna Beef Jumbo Beef Franks

9.  Bar S Jumbo Franks

10.  Jenny O Turkey Franks 

    Also, the Top 6 restaurant chains serving the best hot dogs: 

1.  Dairy Queen 

2.  Sonic

3.  Nathan's Famous

4.  Wienerschitzel

5.  5 Guys

6.  Shake Shack

**Coincidentally Five Guys slices their dogs in half resulting in a thicker, stacked bun.  Sonic offers a delicious foot long Coney Dog with chili.  

      Now down to the Nitty Gritty:  The Rich 'Mad Chef 'Hilts favorite hot dog recipes.

 

CHICAGO DOG

ROTEL CHEESE DOG

Self-explanatory

BAKED POTATO DOGS

Also, pretty self explanatory 

HOT DOG STUFFED MANICOTTI

1 (8 oz) package manicotti shells

1 (10-count) package hot dogs

1 (16 oz) block Colby-Jack cheese, shredded

4 (15 oz) cans no-bean chili

1 cup Ricotta cheese

1 small white onion, finely diced (optional)

Mustard, for drizzling (optional) 

      Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions, but only until they are pliable and slightly underdone.  Drain and set aside.

      Gently roll or lather each hot dog in Ricotta and stuff into each cooked manicotti shell.

      Spread one can of chili over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Arrange the hot dog-stuffed manicotti in a single layer over the chili.

      Pour the remaining cans of chili over the manicotti and top with the rest of the shredded cheese.

      For added flavor, drizzle with mustard and sprinkle with finely diced onions if desired.

      Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

      Remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and melted.

      Of course, there are also other extraneous uses in spaghetti, baked beans, etc.  However, let's not forget the All-American Hot Dog grilled over the campfire.  I love mine a bit on the overcooked, crispy side.  

"I can't tell you how many hot dogs I've eaten in my life"

Shia Lebouf