QUALITALY 141

August /September 2024 V MAGAZINE A CEREAL THAT COMES FROM AFAR The history of rice is an ancient one. This cereal originated in Asia, and excavations show that it was already cultivated and consumed in China seven thousand years ago. In addition, fossil remains found in the Yang Tze valley in the Asian country around five thousand years ago would confirm that rice paddies were already a practice in that region. While the country of origin of rice is known, it is not yet clear how this cereal came to Italy. There are various theories about this. Some claim it arrived when the Arabs invaded Sicily, others thanks to the Aragonese who settled in Naples, while according to a third theory it was Venetian merchants from the East who first introduced it to Italy. Amidst a succession of hypotheses, there is one certainty: in the 15th century, the cultivation of rice in Italy was already quite widespread in Piedmont and Lombardy and it is said that in 1475, Gian Galeazzo Sforza, Duke of Milan, donated a sack of rice seed to the Dukes of Este, assuring them that, if well used, it would turn into 12 sacks of produce. Several centuries later, many varieties are cultivated in our country. Of these, arborio, carnaroli, roma and vialone nano, of which Italy is the only producer in the world, are considered the most prized. It is no coincidence that of the 226,000 hectares cultivated with rice, about half is dedicated to the cultivation of these varieties. THE ‘UNIQUE’ MADE-IN-ITALY VARIETIES Arborio, carnaroli, roma and vialone nano can be considered true Italian excellences. The large grain size of arborio rice ensures that it maintains its firmness during cooking, which is why it is considered one of the best varieties to use for the preparation of risotto because it guarantees an excellent mantecatura. But arborio rice also lends itself very well to the preparation of salads and timbale. Another type that is perfect for risotto is carnaroli, which is always characterised by the large grain size and its excellent cooking properties. Roma belongs, like arborio and carnaroli, to the long rice family, but is characterised by its low cooking time. It can be used for risottos, but also for plain dishes, with sauce, for flans and timbales. On the other hand, Vialone Nano has a semi-long, round- shaped grain and boasts IGP certification. Among the various production areas of this type, the Vialone Nano Veronese IGP is concentrated in 25 municipalities in the province of Verona and is particularly suitable for the preparation of creamy risottos, for soups in broth, salads and desserts. But within the Italian rice family, there are two other varieties that have obtained the Igp and PDO mark: Riso del Delta del Po Igp and Riso di Baraggia Biellese e Vercellese Dop. PARBOILED AND ‘EMERGING’ RICE While arborio, carnaroli, roma and vialone nano represent the prime varieties of Italian production and the most sought-after, particularly for making risottos, another ‘must’ in commercial and mass catering is parboiled rice. In this case, we are not talking about a variety but a pre-cooking technique. As the term parboiled, a contraction of the English term ‘partially boiled’, suggests, this rice is partially boiled and then steamed. In this way, it does not scald and allows for prolonged cooking. Consumer desire to try new flavours and new taste experiences has led the industry in recent years to add new ideas to parboiled rice, the service product par excellence, such as venere rice: a medium- sized, whole-grain, highly aromatic rice which releases special flavours when cooked. It is also rich in nutrients (source of potassium and fibre) and is perfect served cold in salads or stir-fried with other ingredients. Along with venere rice, basmati rice has also made a name for itself. It has an intense aroma, is rich in fibre and potassium, and is satiating without feeling full. THE VALUE OF HO.RE.CA. From the most prized varieties to emerging ones, what role does rice play in the eating out market? Outlining a picture of the present and the future is Umberto Rovati, head of marketing Riso Scotti. ‘The Ho .re.ca . world is rather divided between commercial catering, collective catering and “special customers”. There is no data currently available to certify exactly the value of the market, but its importance can be perceived by analysing Riso Scotti’s business. As much as 40% of our production volume is destined for the eating out sector. It is important to emphasise, however, that the dynamics of the channel are particular. On the one hand, insiders demand impeccable product quality, because they are more and more experienced and knowledgeable; on the other hand, kitchens, large canteens, but also restaurants themselves have to reckon with staff absence and timing, and require product standardisation. Being able to count on a rice that always has the same characteristics is essential to guarantee the same quality to the customer. And this for us producers represents a great challenge’. AN EVOLVING SECTOR Producers must always guarantee high product performance, but at the same time be ready to respond to the changes taking place. ‘Ho .re.ca. is always evolving,’ Rovati points out. ‘In addition to guaranteeing constant product quality, it is necessary to intercept new trends in order to keep up with the times. Think of the spread of ethnic cuisine in Italy and, in particular, sushi restaurants, which require round rice. Or more recently to the out-and-out explosion of poke houses. These worlds have brought about an evolution for the rice market. If initially the sector was divided between two worlds, parboiled, which allows for consistency, quality and standardisation of the product, and white rice par excellence Umberto Rovati , Responsabile marketing area riso di Riso Scotti.