Food & Drink

Rice, does brand matter?

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Deal Fanatic
May 2, 2009
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Rice, does brand matter?

I ran out of Calrose rice today and was comparing prices on different brands. A store brand was $3.97 but I went with the Shirakiku brand at $7.99 because it just always turns out well.

I realized rice is one of the products I really have brand loyalty with. Basmati has to be an aged brand from India (the burlap Elephant bag, I know it when I see it) or Tilda.

Long grain not quite so picky. The President's Choice brand of mixed rices, Texmati Royal Blend is the only mixed rice I like.

Do other posters find a big difference in rice brands?

What other products do you buy that only one brand will do?
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Dec 31, 2011
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Yellowknife
bonterra wrote: Long grain not quite so picky. The President's Choice brand of mixed rices, Texmati Royal Blend is the only mixed rice I like.

Do other posters find a big difference in rice brands?

What other products do you buy that only one brand will do?
Whole grain brown rice. Brand doesn't matter.
Freshco has the best price we have found, year round.
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Sep 24, 2005
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i generally buy 15lbs bag of Calrose japonica and Jasmine rice.
with japonica, i've found the difference between most brands found in Korean markets to be negligible.
with jasmine, i've found more differences. my favourite is T&T store brand, actually.
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
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May 28, 2012
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Saskatoon
For some reason, my family doesn't like basmati rice. I still have an almost full bag to use up. To be honest, I use that Rooster scented rice from Superstore for my everyday rice needs. I made the mistake of buying another brand of long grain rice at Coop when it was on sale and it was tough and pretty much inedible. I didn't think there was much difference in rice quality up until that purchase.
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Sep 24, 2005
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the biggest factor is the year of harvest.
newly harvested rice will taste much much much better than the stock from previous harvest.
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
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Sep 18, 2009
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Southwestern Ontario
bonterra wrote: I ran out of Calrose rice today and was comparing prices on different brands. A store brand was $3.97 but I went with the Shirakiku brand at $7.99 because it just always turns out well.

I realized rice is one of the products I really have brand loyalty with. Basmati has to be an aged brand from India (the burlap Elephant bag, I know it when I see it) or Tilda.

Long grain not quite so picky. The President's Choice brand of mixed rices, Texmati Royal Blend is the only mixed rice I like.

Do other posters find a big difference in rice brands?

What other products do you buy that only one brand will do?
I use any brand of Calrose especially ones that are clean enough to avoid lots of rinsing. It's the variety that's important, plus clean processing.

Basmati for me has to be Tilda, or other premium rice aged in caves. There is a lot of cheap basmati not well aged.

Other brands I rely on:
(A long list, and it will be interesting to see other home cooks' lists)

Heinz Ketchup and tomato soup
Kraft Tuscan Italian dressing
French's mustard (I'd like to say Maille, but it goes flat quickly)
Thomas Utopia canned tomatoes
San Marzano bottled tomatoes
Robin Hood Best for Bread flour, esp multigrain
Red Star yeast (Costco item)
Kikkoman soy sauce
Heinz cider vinegar
Kirkland evoo
Kirkland balsamic
Ontario farmgate eggs
Ontario pickerel and trout
Ontario corn
Niblets
Nupak du Puy lentils
Lactantia cultured unsalted butter
P.E.I. mussels
Italian canned tuna (Loblaw carries two brands, in sleeves of 3 cans)
Cook's ham
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Kirkland peppercorns
Trio brown gravy mix
PC Memories of Montego
Walkerswood Jerk sauce
Golden Boy fish sauce
Marukan rice vinegar
...



Packard
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Jul 26, 2009
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Toronto
For white rice, if you eat lots of it, you can tell the difference.

Stuff like Calrose, Red Rooster are OK, but we always buy Ox Head rice, its more expensive than the rest, but it has the most fragrant smell and tastes the best.
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May 3, 2009
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I always stock up three types of rice when they are on sale.
1-calrose rice for non soup days.
2-rose jasmine rice for fried rice
3-ox brand rice for soup days since they are aged and can absorb the soup well
Deal Fanatic
May 2, 2009
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ippon wrote: the biggest factor is the year of harvest.
newly harvested rice will taste much much much better than the stock from previous harvest.
Even Basmati? I buy the aged Basmati and like it.
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Sep 24, 2005
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bonterra wrote: Even Basmati? I buy the aged Basmati and like it.
comment directed at jasmine and japonica, but even with basmati, there'll be an ideal point of aging. once it goes beyond that, and it sits in a store for a year, it won't taste that good.
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
Deal Fanatic
May 2, 2009
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jayt90 wrote: I use any brand of Calrose especially ones that are clean enough to avoid lots of rinsing. It's the variety that's important, plus clean processing.

Basmati for me has to be Tilda, or other premium rice aged in caves. There is a lot of cheap basmati not well aged.

Other brands I rely on:
(A long list, and it will be interesting to see other home cooks' lists)
Thanks for posting your list. Now I'm thinking of mine. I didn't know NuPak did De Puy lentils, I'm going to look for them.

Two recommendations for Ox rice, I hope I can find it here.

Thanks to all for your replies, very interesting.
Deal Fanatic
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Sep 18, 2009
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Southwestern Ontario
bonterra wrote: Thanks for posting your list. Now I'm thinking of mine. I didn't know NuPak did De Puy lentils, I'm going to look for them.

Two recommendations for Ox rice, I hope I can find it here.

Thanks to all for your replies, very interesting.
The NuPak du Puy lentils were hard to find, and when I run out I will have to pick them up when I'm in Toronto, at Highland Farms. They are a firm, green western Canada product. If I can't get NuPack, I'd have to go online for the expensive French product.
...



Packard
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Deal Fanatic
Apr 30, 2003
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Toronto
bonterra wrote: Thanks for posting your list. Now I'm thinking of mine. I didn't know NuPak did De Puy lentils, I'm going to look for them.

Two recommendations for Ox rice, I hope I can find it here.

Thanks to all for your replies, very interesting.
My family buys only Ox Head as well. You can find them at T&T and a few Costcos carries them as well.
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Feb 26, 2004
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Rice is rice. It's all tasteless.

Fragrant rice is nasty. Dunno how people can eat it when it has hints of perfume.
Deal Fanatic
May 2, 2009
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Brands

Strub's Bread & Butter Pickles, also their hot pepper rings, still crisp, not mushy like some brands.
Sardo, hot cherry peppers and Kalamata olives
Heinz Ketchup, Balsamic and Spicy
Walkerswood Jerk, Grace Jerk BBQ Sauce
Lactantia Cultured Unsalted Butter, cheapest at Food Basics and WM
PC Chipotle and hot pepper sauce
Bolthouse French Yogourt salad dressing, bright, glowing orange and tasty!!
Cavendish "From the Farm" frozen French Fries, excellent either oven heated or deep fried.
Kikkoman Low Sodium Soy sauce
San Marzano brand tomato passata, still $5.99 at Costco, same brand canned tomatoes
Emma D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes, $3.27 at WM
Maille Cornichons, best pickle ever, perfect for Tartar Sauce, no sweetness.
Alpino Concentrated Tomato Paste in a tube, I'm sticking to products where other brands are available but I buy a particular brand. But for concentrated paste in a tube Ortolina
Sugo, mix of celery, carrot, tomato pastes is a staple. But I've never seen another brand.
Finally, Frank's Thick Hot Sauce, only sauce for wings.

Other than those, and maybe a few others, I just buy what's on sale or easiest to find.
Deal Fanatic
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Jul 29, 2006
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zijin_cheng wrote: but we always buy Ox Head rice, its more expensive than the rest, but it has the most fragrant smell and tastes the best.
+1! my family swears by this!! we cant do other brands tbh
Deal Fanatic
May 2, 2009
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I'm going to have to find Ox Head rice!! Thanks for all the recommendations.

Thought of another product, Sriracha has to be Rooster brand.
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Sep 24, 2005
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DJ_Peanuts22 wrote: Rice is rice. It's all tasteless.

Fragrant rice is nasty. Dunno how people can eat it when it has hints of perfume.
if you find rice tasteless, you might want to get your palate checked out by a doctor.
or you just haven't had good rice.

real fragrant rice has no perfume. it's naturally fragrant. i've read about some fakes overseas, but not here yet.
“Children see magic because they look for it.”

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