Rice, a key ingredient in Asian food culture, has been directly linked to survival itself as a daily staple food. Along with corn and wheat, it is considered one of the world’s top food crops, and acts as an essential source of carbohydrates, a vital nutrient for the human body. More than half of the world’s population has relied on rice as a main food supply. In addition, rice farming, the basis for rice production, has helped to form societies with community-centered consciousness in Asian countries like Korea and Japan, and also symbolizes the value of protecting tradition. Foods like pilaf, risotto, sushi, and rice cakes have derived from various cultivars and recipes. Recent patterns of reduced consumption have been overcome with development in agricultural technology and advanced strategies, and rice is being illuminated once again as an alternate food ingredient.
Rice. It’s the essential grain that has sustained mankind for millennia and is the undeniable bedrock of Asian culinary culture. The remarkable economic transformation of both South Korea and Japan are often attributed to the exceptional diligence and collective consciousness that have been culturally ingrained in Asian cultures since pre-modern rice farming days. Some read more deeply into the meaning, saying that the Chinese character for rice, mĭ (米), can be dissected into bā sh. bā (八十八), which is the number 88. This significant number represents the 88 manual tasks it takes to produce rice from seed to edible grain on the dinner table. From sowing to harvesting, this is a crop that is incredibly labor intensive and holds multifaceted meanings to humans.
Intro
Letter from F
Destination
Diverse beauty of rice paddies that vary by geographical features and lifestyles
Into the Origin
Religious philosophy and community values embedded in Balinese rice terraces
Rice Road
From Indonesia - Indonesian rice dishes in Bali infused with time-honored traditions and spirit
To Japan - History and meaning of rice as seen through iconic rice dishes of Japan
Academic Manual
History, traditions, and trends of rice— a rising transitional food to substitute flour and meat
Interview
Henry Alexie Bloem - An Indonesian cuisine master who skillfully integrates the colors of Bali into a dish of rice
Tobio Fukumoto - A modest Japanese sushi master who has maintained a Michelin star for 11 years for elaborate details
On the Table
Global rice recipes that reinvigorate the charms of rice
Experiment
Simple but tricky rice cooking secrets by Eunjung Ko, instructor at a cooking school on Mount Jirisan
F Cut
Indigenous rice varieties harvested across the eight provinces of Korea
The Future of Rice
Native rice breeds and the instant rice market: turning points for the future of Korean rice
Interview
Atsuo Otsuka - CEO of Okomeya, presenting a new lifestyle through rice
User Scene
The tables of three people from three different cities who all live on rice
Retail
Worldwide rice shops introducing healthy, delicious products that shift paradigms on the taste of rice
Market
Processed rice products equipped with taste, quality, and marketability
References
Books and videos about rice and agriculture recommended by Magazine F editors
Outro
Dictionary
Index
PUBLICATION RIGHT
- Publisher Suyong Joh
- Executive Director Myungsoo Kim
- Editor-in-Chief Eunsung Park
- Content & Editorial Director Sojung Jung
- Editors Eunkyung Lee, Bora Nam
- Contributing Editor Alex Seo
- Art Direction & Design Yuwon Choi
- Marketing Hyunjoo Kim, Yeubin Kim
- Sales & Distribution Suyeon Kim
- Advisory Wookjung Lee
- Translators Rancy Kim, Bongah Shin, Hyejoo Lee, Seongae Yang, Soonok Hwang
- Copy Editors Sarah Kessler Jang, Catherine Gallagher
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- Woowa Brothers
- CEO Bongjin Kim
- Creative Directors Myungsoo Han, Insung Chang
- Planning & Marketing Taekyoung Lee, Seyoung Kang
REFERENCES
- Tomorrow: All Over the Globe, Solutions Already Exist (Demain: Un Nouveau Monde en Marche)
- Circle of Poison
- Balinese Food: The Traditional Cuisine & Food Culture of Bali
- RiCE: No. 1 Autumn 2016
- The Rice Mother
- The Rice Mother