Last night I had dinner with my friends the Slabs. They used to live around here, but then they up and moved to Portland. Whenever they come down to visit (they have family here), they ask if they can pony express anything for me. I always have them bring me a big bag of rice. You see, Japanese people can be a little fixated on their rice. My mother, who works at a little Japanese market, believes that Califoria rice is better than rice grown in Japan. And it’s not just ANY California rice. It has to be grown by Koda Farms in Dos Palos, CA. They produce a limited amount of rice and sell it through the Kokuho Rose brand. I remember a couple years when the market had to have a lottery system when the rice came in. People were LINED UP outside to get their Koda Farms rice! Anyway, I am not that picky about rice, but it sure is nice when a 20-lb bag of Koda Farms rice shows up on my doorstep!
By the way, you CAN get this rice in California. In fact, I bought a bag in San Jose last year.
Now, if only that bag were fabric…..xoxo Kay
Is a 20 pound bag enough? Peole think I am strange when I buy a 20 pound bag just for me. And the Chinese, well every Asian culture, is a littel fixated on their rice. There are some Chinese restaurants that I avoid because they have terrible rice. The rest of their food is nice but they can’t make a decent rice.
I used to buy Kokuho Rose rice at the Asian market in Cleveland, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Koda Farms variety. Yum.
Are you in California? And if so, can you get this rice there?
I’m pretty particular about rice too. It’s gotta be just the right texture.
Mariko, thanks for the compliments on the photos! SW was dizzying, colorful blur.
Rice! Gotta try Koda Farms, maybe at Marukai or 99 Ranch Market?
i love rice, i don’t think i can’t do without rice. i actually miss it when i haven’t had it in a few days.
We’re Japanese too, and my husband always thinks its so funny that whenever my family goes out to dinner the first thing every one comments on is the quality of the rice and whether they think its rice from Japan or California. And since we’re from Hawaii it’s rare to eat at a restaurant where rice isn’t served. Gotta check to see if they have Koda Farms rice here.
My parents and your mother are cut of the same cloth. I think my parents were one of those in line to get a lottery ticket. We can (finally) get the white rice in Virginia, but (I’m almost embarrassed to say this) we order 100 pounds of the Koda brown rice direct from the farm. What we will do to get our Koda fix!
That picture makes me smile. I agree, rice needs to come from Koda Farms. I’m also very picky about my shoyu (woops, almost wrote soy sauce:))…gotta be Aloha brand.
My best friend growing up was Japanese-American and I LOVED eating at her house because I loved the rice. She, of course, loved the food at my German/Swiss house because of the potatoes…
Koda huh…
My parents in San Francisco buy theirs at Nijiya Market in J-town – several 20 lb. bags at a time and stockpile it as it’s not always available. Friends of theirs bring the 20 lb. bags to Japan as gifts for relatives! When you were in San Jose, did you also get the “San Jose tofu” (homemade tofu that is delicious!)? Try it – you won’t go back!
“You see, Japanese people can be a little fixated on their rice.”…a little?! ha. how about a lot. People here in J find it hard to believe that I don’t eat too much gohan. I love the genmai. It’s my favorite and I recently heard that it’s “trendy!” good stuff!
Yeah, what Kay said…I remember my mom made me this funky halter dress out of cloth rice bags when I was 12! Rice, rice, Baby!
that’s interesting, i’m not a big rice fan unless i’m in Japan, and it’s not because that’s all there is to eat here. Japanese rice just tastes so much better, genmai and the super duper overprocessed white stuff. But i’ve never had Koda Farms…
I’m with Sharlyn, I’ve gotta have my Aloha Shoyu. PS Sharlyn, when you’re in HI you can stop by Aloha and get fresh tofu, bring your own container – super yummy!
Thanks for the tip! I’ll look for that brand in our Nijiya store in San Diego.
OMG! You aren’t kidding when you say that Japanese people can be a little fixated on their rice! My Fiance is Japanese and I got scolded when I didn’t let the rice “rest” for 15 min before cooking. It’s cute in a way…he can’t understand why this little chinese girl thinks it’s REALLY weird to let your rice “rest”. :p