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