Want to Buy Real Wild Rice

[patrickamory]

andie, I ordered 3 large bags from Bineshi. I posted about my experience in the Dinner thread, here.

[Shel_B]

I read your post in the Dinner section last night, and it gave me the idea to cook up some rice. I blended a local brown rice (Massa Organics) with some hand parched Canadian wild rice, and baked it in the oven. I used the leftover mushroom broth I made last week, and took your idea of adding black beans. A nice combination. Thanks for posting your pics and story.

[Unpopular Poet]

Thanks to Shel, andie, patrick and Co., I now have a lb of Bineshi en route from Amazon. I am hoping I get it in time for Thanksgiving -- it will give me an opportunity to use it in the stuffing.

[Shel_B]

... I now have a lb of Bineshi en route from Amazon. I am hoping I get it in time for Thanksgiving -- it will give me an opportunity to use it in the stuffing.

<LOL> Reading this thread got me to thinking I should try some of this Bineshii to compare with the rice I got a few weeks ago, and that made me realize it would be a nice holiday gift for some friends, and I bought a couple of pounds, also.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Smithy]

I'm eager to read your assessments of the various types, as you learn more and develop preferences.

[Shel_B]

I'm eager to read your assessments of the various types, as you learn more and develop preferences.

And I'm looking forward to learning more, too ...

[andiesenji]

andie, I ordered 3 large bags from Bineshi. I posted about my experience in the Dinner thread, here.

I am not surprised you found it to be vastly different from the black stuff. When I lived in Wisconsin for a brief few years in the '50s, we had wild rice like the Bineshi, tan to light reddish brown and very tender with moderate cooking times.

When I settled in California I could only find the black or dark brown wild rice and did not care much for it on its own. I guess I am a "supertaster" because to me the stuff always had a bit of a bitter flavor which I did not like at all. I used it in soups or stews but rarely on its own.

I "discovered" the Indian Harvest company back in the '80s when I was doing some catering, it was mentioned in the appendix of a cookbook and I had to WRITE them because I couldn't find a phone number.

They sent me a little mimeographed catalog and a "sample" of their wild rice, which was like the stuff I had in Wisconsin.

When I would serve it, I often had people tell me, "this isn't wild rice" because all they knew was the dark brown variety. I would assure them that it was indeed "real" wild rice.

I had to buy it in "bulk" 10 pound bags - minimum 5, as I recall - (before the metric system oared in) and it was shipped by "freight" trucks.

It is so much better to have these things virtually at our finger tips with the magic of the internet.

[Paul Bacino]

I think the amount of tree sap..or bark tannin effects..the beds for rices you describe..open beds I feel will produce more an aquatic algae green color..thoughts

[Smithy]

It is so much better to have these things virtually at our finger tips with the magic of the internet.

Boy, howdy.

[andiesenji]

I think the amount of tree sap..or bark tannin effects..the beds for rices you describe..open beds I feel will produce more an aquatic algae green color..thoughts

There is the fact that many of the lakes have "peaty" bottoms - anyone who has tramped around in those areas is familiar with the black goop that is many places lies just under the surface of the ground - which can appear solid but easily becomes marshy with higher rainfall totals and with numerous cows stomping around on it.

It is possible that some of the rice that grows in these muddy bottoms can pick up the chemicals that steep from the pine needles and deciduous leaves in the nearby forests.

I think it would require a botanist to determine if these conditions contribute to the color and taste of the product.

In fact, it is possible that has already been done and somewhere in a scholarly treatise there is one or more writings with this information.

Perhaps someone would like to do a comprehensive search. . .

[Shel_B]

... Reading this thread got me to thinking I should try some of this Bineshii to compare with the rice I got a few weeks ago, and that made me realize it would be a nice holiday gift for some friends, and I bought a couple of pounds, also.

I'm eager to read your assessments of the various types, as you learn more and develop preferences.

I received the Bineshii rice today. First, I'd like to say how happy I am with their service. I ordered through Amazon and the rice was sent the next day, and arrived but a few days later. A nice, quick, efficient ordering process. Bineshii charged a fair price for shipping and handling unlike some places that charge as much as twice the Bineshii shipping price.

Upon opening the Priority Mail carton, I was surprised by the strong and wonderfully vegetal aroma of the rice that came through the two plastic bags in which it was packed. The aroma was more intense than the Canadian rice I bought a few weeks ago, although it, too, was fairly aromatic.

The grains of the Bineshii rice are longer by about 1/3 than the Canadian rice, although there are some shorter and broken pieces evident, and the grains look a little smother and shinier. I can see no broken pieces in the Canadian rice package, but then I can only see the rice's top layer in the bags. The cooking instructions for the two rices are different. The Canadian rice recommends a 3:1 water:rice ratio with a 30-minute cooking time while the Bineshii rice recommends a 6-8:1 ratio of water:rice and a 17 - 22 minute cooking time. Clearly some experimentation is in order.

I suspect I'll have some fun cooking these rices and comparing their flavors. I have a few recipe ideas I want to try out, but won't have time to do any rice cooking until after the holiday.

Happy Holiday, everyone!

Edited for grammar, punctuation, and clarity.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Unpopular Poet]

Funny, I was just writing a similar email to comment that Bineshii came through for me -- I ordered 1 lb of the wild rice and the smell of it is really permeating my office in a wonderful way. Perfect for this snowy day in Chicagoland. I am thinking it needs to be incorporated into a stuff on Thursday....perhaps change to a duck confit and wild rice stuffing...something like that. Anyway Happy Holiday and be well.

Dan

[patrickamory]

Let me say having now cooked the Bineshii 5 times that at least with New York water and obviously sea level altitude, 17 minutes is already too mushy for my taste. About 15 minutes at a low boil (and that really should be a low boil) gets the best texture. YMMV.

[dcarch]

I have done wild rice (real, not farmed) in many ways, including wild rice risotto, deep fried, steamed boiled. wild rice ice cream, ------------.

All good.

dcarch

[Shel_B]

Let me say having now cooked the Bineshii 5 times that at least with New York water and obviously sea level altitude, 17 minutes is already too mushy for my taste.

About 15 minutes at a low boil (and that really should be a low boil) gets the best texture - cooked but still with some chew. YMMV.

What is your water : rice ratio? I'm assuming that you essentially added rice to water and cooked as above. Did you do anything more to the rice in the way of prep or cooking? Thanks!

[patrickamory]

Shel - I just followed the instructions on the package. Bring 6-8 cups of water to a rapid boil, add 1 cup wild rice, slow-boil for 17-22 minutes, strain. I generally found I preferred 15 minutes or slightly less, and 6 cups of water.

[andiesenji]

I have a pot of tomato rice soup - with the wild rice - currently simmering - just added the TOASTED wild rice.

I toasted it in a dry, cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wood spatula (to avoid "disturbing" the seasoning patina on the cast iron).

The aroma from the toasting rice was heavenly - and I don't use that term lightly. Nutty, savory, with hints of the aroma from fresh-harvested morels. I'm hoping this transfers itself to the soup.

I've made this soup before, without the toasting step, but had a brainstorm while setting out and measuring the various ingredients. It's from this web site - although I use the third of a celeriac root I had left over from making roasted vegetables a few days ago. (I'm not a huge fan of fennel).

Roasted tomato/wild rice soup. I will report back later on the final results. I have a "rustic" loaf of bread in the oven to go with...

[Smithy]

Toasting the wild rice...I've never thought of that before. Sounds like a great idea.