My rice cooker, my friend

In light of the global rice crisis, and rice hoarding here in the United States, I've been thinking about how much I like rice and how much I'll miss it if it becomes really expensive.
I became an "honorary Asian" beginning in college. Really. 3/4 of my friends were Asian. I would often sit in the cafeteria and be the only non-Asian in the group. One time I remember a friend commented that, "Look! Everyone here is Asian!" It had to be pointed out that I was not ethnically Asian, at which point she said something like, "but you practically are." Another time a group of us went to a Chinese restaurant and were collectively insulted when the hostess gave me and ONLY me a fork and knife.

Then I became Asian by marriage (and therefore name) and motherhood.

So it makes sense that one of our wedding presents was a rice cooker. A rice cooker? Seemed like a waste of an appliance. Couldn't I just use a pot and make minute rice on the stove?

Oh, how I learned of my naivity!

The rice cooker is a fabulous, but under-used and mis-understood by those of European descent. With it, rice cooks well, with no maintenance. And (this is key) it does not burn! Some rice cookers are even programmable. It is cheaper and easier to make than bread, at least for now.... I buy the rice in bulk (half white and half brown) and it costs much less than boxed rice. Rice is the main food staple of the majority of the world. Why not yours?

For more kitchen tips, check here.