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A Man and His Rice Cooker

Rice Cooker

This is my French friend Robert. Doesn’t he look like Ernest Hemingway? For many weeks we spent Saturdays together at the french farmers market where he tended to his pot of rice. The rice was his priority, second only to the box of wine he carefully unloaded from the truck along with a portable refrigerator used just to keep the wine cool. In France, it is important to have wine to drink while you sell your vegetables and cook your rice. He liked to start on the rosé early – right after we unloaded the truck at 6am, while preparing the vegetables for his rice cooker.

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Every farmers market he tossed glorious things into his rice cooker… usually a medley of seafood taken from the nearby Mediterranean. Along with many variations of rice, the product that puts the town of Arles on the map. Riz complète, semi-complète, riz rouge… he had it all.

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Including a lot of charisma. Cooking the rice was the perfect job for him because it was a glorified social event, which he made the most of… wherever you are coming from or wherever you are going in France, there is always time to stop and chat. And argue over recipes down to the minute detail. Over a glass of rosé.

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He has many kinds of rice, even rice cakes. The factory that makes these is in the middle of nowhere surrounded only by beige colored fields. I remember well the journey to pick up the rice cakes from a lone man in the middle of nowhere surrounded by golden fields at the break of dawn…

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Did I mention that his uncle’s mustache is bigger than his? And white as snow.

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7 Comments

  • Peter Gabriel
    Posted October 5, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    Another great post! Just mentioned you to some friends of mine at the BBC. I think we could use a show like your “Girl Hunter” concept over here in the UK. Love “Food Heroes” as well by the way…

  • TK
    Posted October 5, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    I absolutely love Arles. It’s one of the loveliest parts of France. Wish we had a recipe for this one…

    • Georgia
      Posted October 5, 2009 at 1:52 pm

      Hi TK:
      Once you buy yourself a rice cooker it gives you lovely directions on the ratio of water to rice (usually 2:1). Or if you prefer a pot, then use that ratio. And if you want to add other things to your rice, you just toss them in the pot and sweat them in olive oil beforehand! Then stir the rice in, then add the water, then put the top on and let it simmer. It’s so nice and easy. Bon Appétit!

  • katrina
    Posted October 6, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    it never occurred to me to add ingredients to the rice cooker! [open new world]thx!

    • Georgia
      Posted October 7, 2009 at 6:09 pm

      My pleasure! I like opening new worlds to people : )

  • BRubio
    Posted October 7, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    He looks more like Anthony Quinn to me.

  • KN
    Posted December 15, 2009 at 8:13 am

    I love using the slow cooker. You can do almost anything with it. I made spare ribs from this hog I shot the other day with a little bbq sauce.

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