RICE: THE WORLD'S MOST USED GRAIN

Check most any kitchen around the world and there is one kind of grain most will store.

This spring, John and Jerri Wyman spent hours in their kitchen developing dishes that feature this grain that is equally at home on fine china and in breakfast bowls.

Six of the rice dishes developed by the local husband and wife team were among more than 30 original recipes featured at a May rice celebration at the U.S. Botanic Gardens in the nation's capital. The event was sponsored by several rice companies.

The Wymans, representing Missouri, and chefs from the other six rice-producing states were asked to submit original recipes for the event. Members of Congress and administration officials, along with the chefs and others interested in the rice industry, were among those in attendance.

But many hours in the kitchen creating new dishes is nothing new to the Wymans, owners of Mollie's Cafe and Bar, nor is cooking with rice. Any of several varieties of rice is frequently served at their South Spanish Street restaurant. "We've found it very versatile," Jerri Wyman said about rice.

That versatility has been key to making rice the world's most used grain. Served at any mealtime in countries around the globe, more and more of those tables are in the United States.

"Per capita consumption of rice in the United States has almost doubled in the last 10 years," said Bruce Beck, an agronomist specializing in rice with the University of Missouri Extension, Popular Bluff office.

A consumer research study reveals that 85 percent of U.S. households, more than 78 million homes, report having one or more packages of rice on their kitchen shelves.

Nutrition awareness plays a significant role in rice's increased popularity in the United States.

"For persons interested in modifying their fat intake, rice would be a good choice," said Carolyn Peer-Hammonds, clinical dietitian and assistant director of food and nutrition services at St. Francis Medical Center.

Plus, rice is a complex carbohydrate -- the part of the food pyramid that often comes up short in the typical U.S. diet. According to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, complex carbohydrates should comprise at least 50 percent of the daily diet.

"We encourage people to try other things like pastas, as well as rice, to broaden their horizons," Peer-Hammonds said.

While rice has been a food staple in parts of the world for thousands of years, sheer availability also plays a role in its increasing popularity.

Though some foods have at times been primarily linked with particular ethnic influences, "certain foods have crossed the boundaries," John Wyman said. Rice is one of those foods.

"Everything is available everywhere now," he explained. "Distribution channels are such that we can get any ingredient."

Missouri is part of that distribution factor, with Bootheel counties ranking the state sixth in rice production in the United States.

Estimates put the number of rice growers in Missouri at 300 to 400, with roughly 115,000 acres involved in rice production, Beck said. "Half of Missouri's rice is grown in Butler County," he said. Missouri specializes in high quality long grain rice.

Other rice producing states are Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Florida. Arkansas ranks first in rice production, accounting for about 40 percent of the rice grown in this country.

With neutral characteristics, rice takes on flavors of other foods and it can be served at any meal and even in appetizer and dessert recipes.

At Mollie's, rice is often paired with certain entrees, John Wyman explained, plus, it's often available as an additional side order, Jerri Wyman added.

"People are going back to the basics," John Wyman said. "Rice appeals to a tremendous amount of people."

"Rice is somewhat of a comfort food," Jerri Wyman said. "A lot of adults today had it served to them as children." With its subtle taste, rice is often the perfect complement, or the main ingredient, in dishes ranging from simple to simply extraordinary.

RICE CATEGORIES, HISTORY

Rice predates recorded history, but archaeological findings suggest it has been an important part of mankind's diet for more than 5,000 years.

The U.S. Rice Council defines the types of rice as long grain, medium grain, short grain, aromatic and sweet rice.

Rice forms include:

-- brown rice -- kernels of rice from which only the hull has been removed;

-- parboiled rice -- rough rice that has gone through a steam-pressure process before milling;

-- precooked rice -- white or brown rice that has been completely cooked and dehydrated after milling;

-- regular-milled white rice -- rice that has the hull and bran layers removed. Most white rice is enriched, giving it a nutritional value similar to brown rice.

Each part of the rice grain has many uses.

Crab Meat Stuffed Saffron Rice Croquettes

(Appetizer)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 egg beaten lightly

3 cups saffron rice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

(For Dredging)

1/2 cup unsifted flour

1 egg beaten lightly

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

(Stuffing)

1 cup lump crab meat

1 cup cream cheese

4 slices crispy bacon

1/2 cup cooked spinach

2 tbsp Worcestershire

Rice Croquette Coating: Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Blend in flour and stir in cream. Stir until thickened. Take off heat and beat in egg, rice, salt and pepper (to taste). Mixture will become thick and will form ball in pan. Cool to room temperature. Set aside.

Stuffing: Mix together everything but crab meat. Food processor works great. (Crab will add texture to the stuffing if it is not processed with mixture.) Take crab and mix with mixture. Take small amount, about 1 tbsp of mixture and form small ball. Take small amount of rice mixture and form coating around crab mix. Dredge in flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. Immediately drop in fryer at 350 degrees. Cook until golden brown outside.

Serving suggestion: Pool lobster sauce in bottom of bowl and place croquettes on sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon.

Lobster sauce:

1 tbsp lobster base (we like Minor's)

2 cups of half and half

Blonde Roux

Over low fire heat to boiling. Reduce heat and continue cooking until thickened. Pull off heat and serve.

-- Recipe supplied by Mollie's Cafe and Bar