Roland FoodsArborio Rice, Superfino, 35.2 Ounce Box, Pack of 5

Very good for being vacuum packed, other brands I bought before came with the smell of "saved"

I ordered a large bag of this in June. I wanted to make some rice pudding for my husband and I and heard that arborio rice was the best. My husband had heart surgery in June and I have been wanting to make him some good things to eat so he could heal and get his energy back. Rice pudding is nutritious and is so delicious! This rice is super good and does make the best pudding! It keeps for several days in the fridge so that we can have some anytime. I'm so glad I found a good company that sells rice for a good price, considering that this rice is not just run of the mill grocery store rice. Arborio keeps its shape and texture during cooking, which is important when you make rice pudding. Other rice will cook down to practically nothing but with arborio, you have a delicious slightly chewy rice when it is cooked. It will stand up to the extra cooking process that is necessary to make rice pudding. I will purchase more when I have worked though this bag.

First of all... I will reorder this rice without question. After reading some of the previous reviews, I chose to take a chance and order a bag. When it arrived the bag was intact, not a single lost grain. I opened the bag to inspect for anything not supposed to be there. I went through the entire bag 1 cup at a time (it was a slow day around here). Not a single critter was found. There was essentially no flakes, particles, chaff or anything else, it was quite 'clean'. I did find a few grains of a thin rice as well as I noticed what may be 2 different variations. Some were white as others were more translucent, why... I have no idea. I noticed a bit of brown spots and with a bit of online checking this is normal for some rice variations to have this brown spot where a seed would sprout. Amazing what we can find on the internet if we look around a bit and use sites that should give accurate information. I also found broken grains, they will cook differently than intact grains. I know since this is very important using wild rice, my Minnesota favorite. Lastly. The rice I have used for a long time is .24/oz where this is .14/oz. A huge savings for me. The pork and spinach risotto I made last night turned out perfect, the rice was al dante, just right. My only downgrades from 5 *'s is the number of broken and the few not Arborio rice grains. I would add a picture but you would show up for dinner tonight.

I cook a lot of risotto and paella in my house, so it only made sense for me to buy it in bulk. While paella traditionally uses bomba rice, and risotto is arguably better with carnaroli rice, arborio will be able to perform double duty for most. What makes arborio preferred over a jasmine or basmati rice is the high starch content. With most long/medium grain rice you wash it to minimize gelatinization. With risotto, you first sautée the rice in oil (and aromatics) which essentially works in a similar way to a roux. This is why instead of the rice simply absorbing the hot stock, it creates it's own sauce. Generally the ratio for arborio rice is 3:1 hot stock to rice. I usually flash the pan with some wine as well after I've sautéed the rice in the aromatics and oil. Stirring often creates a turbulent environment so not only do things not burn, but more starch goes through the gelling process. Paella is somewhat similar, you make your sofrito (aromatics) and then add your rice and stock. It's best to use a paella pan because they are wide and shallow, and you don't want to stir the paella until it is done. If you do it right, the paella will have a layer of crusty caramelized goodness on the bottom that everyone should fight for.

This is a great price! 11lbs is SO MUCH rice! Rice tastes and acts like I would expect to make risotto.I did notice that I need to use slightly less liquid in my recipes than other brands of rice. Perhaps hold back 25% of the liquid you would normally use and only add in if needed!Oh- and the package had a split in it upon arrival. When I pulled the bag out, rice started spilling out.

It's a big bag of good Aborio rice. The price was better than what I pay around my home (if I can even find it). It seems fresh and makes good risotto.

Fast shipping, excellent product

This is my favorite brand for arborio rice. It cooks light and fluffy and creamy, just the way I like it. I like that it is vacuum packed, I think it prolongs the shelf life. I has been buying it for years now, and never had come spoiled or rancid, it always tastes fresh and yummy.