Corks are supposed to be used for plugging wine and vinegar
bottles, not for baseball bats. And electric rice cookers are
supposed to be used for steaming rice, not for anything else that
would appear to be illegal.
Corks are supposed to be used for plugging wine and vinegar bottles, not for baseball bats. And electric rice cookers are supposed to be used for steaming rice, not for anything else that would appear to be illegal.
Today I have some fabulous rice recipes to use with any electric or non-electric rice cooker on the market, but first I wish to tell the Rice Cooker Caper story.
Perhaps you saw our story in the news media recently regarding an unusual amount of electric rice cookers being ordered through our Website that is run through our store here in Hollister.
Since the story appeared on television last week, many people have called with questions and concerns regarding their electric rice cooker. Others have called just to get some new and interesting rice recipes for the cooker that had gotten pushed to the back of the cupboard.
Our Rice Cooker Caper story goes like this: Back in January we got an order via the Internet for three electric rice cookers to be shipped to Ghana. That in itself is not unusual as we ship our kitchen merchandise all over the world.
However, the credit card did not go through so or course we did not ship. We always give the customer one more chance. Via email we requested a cashiers check so that we could ship their rice cookers. No response. However, the next day we got an order from upstate New York for 10 electric rice cookers and they wished them to be shipped to Ghana. Now our curiosity has been aroused, as that credit card did not go through either. A request for a cashiers check was not answered so we put the whole thing aside as a funny deal. Probably a credit card scam, we reasoned. And we felt so smart not to have fallen into it.
Within a few days, an order from Oklahoma came in for three rice cookers to be shipped overnight. You can guess the scenario, the credit card was declined. Within hours, another order arrives for 10 of the same cookers to shipped to another address in Oklahoma, overnight delivery. Credit card declined.
By now I am thinking these people are not only crazy but they must be cooking up drugs or something. Knowing you can get anything you want on the Internet, I went online to do a little search on rice cookers and rice recipes. Our site popped up in the top 10 so that made me feel good.
Our search engines are working. Then I refined the search, narrowing it down and accidentally came upon references to rice cooker bombs. I immediately called Homeland Security and have turned over all our information regarding the rice cooker activities to them.
Since January, we have received orders for more than 1,600 electric rice cookers from addresses all over the United States. None have been shipped from us because none of the credit cards were valid. One of the largest orders was from one person wanting 1,515 cookers to be sent to a house address in New York.
The stories go on, and all of us here ponder just what are these people thinking? Are they planning to feed the hungry people of the world, (probably not because if they are truly a charitable group they would have asked for a donation or a discount), are they doing a credit card scam, are they cooking something other than rice?
It is an interesting story and I just wanted to do this follow up for all of our readers who have expressed interest and concern. Let me assure you that the proper authorities are on it and we have nothing more to do than enjoy eating wonderful rice.
Try the Forbidden Rice, it is fabulous. Legend tells us that forbidden rice was once exclusively cultivated for the emperor’s sole use in ancient China as it is so much more nutritious and delicious than other varieties. The emperor got the best stuff to ensure his good health.
FORBIDDEN RICE
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup Forbidden Black Rice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Place in rice cooker, following manufacturers directions. Or, combine in a
3 quart glass / ceramic casserole or a microwave rice
cooker. Cover. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, then on half power for
25 minutes. Serve.
GLORIFIED RICE
as found in any 1950’s cookbook of the Midwest
1 package (3 oz) lemon Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup of the drained pineapple juice
2 cups cold cooked rice
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Dissolve Jell-O in the boiling water, and then add the pineapple
juice. Allow to stand until it is a cold liquid. Do not let it firm up
completely. With an electric beater whip the liquidy Jell-O to the
consistency of heavy whipped cream. Fold the pineapple tidbits and rice
into the whipped Jell-O. Whip the cream with the sugar and salt. Fold
into the Jell-O mixture. Pour into a beautiful glass bowl, chill until set.
BROWN RICE WITH FRESH ASPARAGUS
1 cup brown rice
2 1/4 cups water or broth
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, as needed
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and sliced
1 -2 tablespoons best quality soy sauce
Combine rice, water, and salt and cook until tender in an electric rice
cooker or microwave in a covered casserole on high for 10 minutes, then on
half power for 25 minutes. Gently saute the asparagus slices in a little
olive oil in a saute pan several minutes, just until tender. Stir into the
cooked rice, season with soy sauce.
Dorothy McNett is the owner of Dorothy McNett’s Place, 800 San Benito St., Phone: 637-6444 or fax 637-5274. Her column runs Fridays in The Times. Visit the store’s Web site at happycookers.com
