Rice

Rice is grown in the humid swath of land stretching from Piedmont and Lombardy through the Veneto, where grandmothers often specify exactly which type of shortgrain rice to use in a dish, especially in risotto, in which the grains swell to a creamy plumpness as they cook and absorb the liquid. And what a difference a grain makes! Camaroli, Vialone Nano, Baldo, and Arborio are the preferred types for risotto, although many nonne tout the virtues of the first two with especial fervor. Baldo is a new arrival on the scene. Nonne specifically urge using originario, a very short round rice, for puddings. Never use long-grain American rice for risotto.