Rice Is Nice!

Cooking rice is one of those jobs either you do it well or you burn it. Rice was never one of those things that I did very often. And when I did cook it, I wound up frustrated. Either it was wet and sticky or a little on the chewy side. Yes, yes, I know that I can buy those cook in ten minute bags of rice, but where's the challenge in that. If I can boil water, I should be able to make a decent pot of rice. Yes, yes, I know there's a gadget called a rice cooker, that seems a little like cheating. I know they are prized by many. However, I don't eat enough rice to really warrant one. That's not to say I don't have one. I have a cute little red one that CH and JG gave me for Christmas. It's so adorable I can't bring myself to use it. Okay, the real reason is we just don't eat enough rice. It's not something I cook everyday.

Last night, I decided to get over my rice phobia. I started by carefully reading the instructions. Then, I measured my water and left it to boil. Next, I measured the rice. I used a wide pan and realized that would change the cooking time as I'd have more cooking surface to work with. After adding the rice, I set the time on the stove to go off a few minutes before the directed times. My instincts were pretty good. While not quite perfect, the rice was well received, being a Southern girl I added a little butter and some seasoning. To borrow a phrase from Alton Brown, the rice was Good Eats.

People will tell you using the best ingredients will enhance a dish. However, I'm here to tell you that knowing the techniques of preparing even the simplest dish will elevate your results. Now, what are some of your food fears? Are you like me, terrible at cooking rice? Or does the thought of frying potatoes send you running to the frozen food section? What have you done to get over your fears?