Camargue red rice explained

Camargue red rice is a variety of red rice cultivated in the wetlands of the Camargue region of southern France.[1]

History

Red wild rice had traditionally grown in the marshes of the Camargue.[1]

Shortly after World War II vast swaths of salt marshes were desalinated.[1] To boost the local economy, the previous production of salt was replaced by agriculture.[1] Production of white rice was at its peak in the 1960s.[1]

By the 1980s this white rice had cross-pollinated with red wild rice, giving birth to the current breed of Camargue red rice.[1] [2]

Description

Once the husk is removed, the bran is a brownish-red colour.[3] It has an intense somewhat nutty taste and a naturally chewy texture.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Steven Fallon, Michael Rothschild, France, Lonely Planet, 2000, p. 37 https://books.google.com/books?id=dnhIc2GBD-QC&dq=Camargue+red+rice&pg=PA37
  2. Rachel Bridge, My Big Idea: 30 Successful Entrepreneurs Reveal How They Found Inspiration, Kogan Page Publishers, 2010, p. 185 https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVY5V9zlOTwC&dq=Camargue+red+rice&pg=PA185
  3. Zoƫ Harpham, The Essential Rice Cookbook, Allen & Unwin, 2004, p. 12 https://books.google.com/books?id=89FCgFFXj6wC&dq=Camargue+red+rice&pg=PA12