Acquerello: "The World's Best Rice"

We escaped to our own version of Italy last night at Moto as we took the first bite of our Acquerello rice dinner, given to host the Rondolino family’s very own Maria Navia.

Acquerello rice is globally recognized as the world’s best rice for Risotto. It comes from the Rondolino Family’s farm in Piedmont’s Verecelli Province in Italy.

 

How is Acquerello rice different from other rice? The process begins with aging. First the rice is cultivated anywhere between 1-7 years. Then, the rice is refined with a specialized, gentle helix method. This method prevents any broken grains. Finally, the grains are enriched with germ to restore the nutrients using a patented process.

Our own Chef Luke perfectly combined the history of traditional Italian cuisine with modern Moto flair to create a culinary menu for the Acquerello dinner. The first course included rice crackers made from Acquerello rice accompanied with a delicate selection of formaggi e salumi. The second course introduced Moto’s new wild boar meatball atop fried Acquerello rice. Adding a bit of seafood influence for the third course, Chef Luke created Acquerello risotto with prawns, mussels, and sea urchin butter. As the fourth and final course came out, we felt bittersweet. We didn’t want the meal to end, but were excited to dip our forks into the Panna Cotta with Acquerello rice granola.

Source: Nearly Native

Without a doubt, Acquerello rice left our taste buds wanting more. The rich, full flavor of the rice added to the depth of each dish. With every bite of the Acquerello rice dinner meal we took last night, we were immediately transported to Maria Navia’s description of the scenic fields of the Acquerello rice estate. What a privilege it was to meet Maria and learn about her family's exquisite rice straight from the source.