nineteenth century in Italy, experiments were taking place to diversify the varieties resulting from the selection made by farmers over the years. The selection served to improve crop yields; it meant increased productivity and quality, resistance to adverse climatic conditions and resistance to chemical agents used in the fight against wild rice. To obtain better plants and to create new varieties, the breeder chooses which plants to crossbreed, each with different characteristics to obtain new combinations with properties that are only partially present in the original varieties. To make these characteristics stable over time in the new varieties, it is necessary to purify the plant from undesired genes, inherited together with the useful ones. To do so, subsequent crossbreeding takes place to eliminate as much as possible the harmful or “wild” genes. In addition to employing genetic variability already existing in nature, it is possible to create new varieties by inducing mutations with high-energy radiation (X rays, UV rays, Gamma rays), chemicals or biological tools. Baldo variety for gourmet cuisine Baldo is an Italian variety born in the 1970s, cultivated in the rice lands between Vercelli, Novara and Pavia, but currently it Each recipe has its own • For risotto, a rice-based dish commonly found in Northern Italy in its various version based on each territory’s traditions, the rice variety must withhold its structure during cooking and absorb well the flavourings. Recommended varieties are: Arborio, Baldo, Carnaroli, Razza77, Roma, Sant’Andrea, and Vialone Nano. • For soups, rice must rapidly absorb water and release a good amount of starch. Recommended varieties are: Originario, Ribe, Roma, and Sant’Andrea. • For arancini, supplì, sartù and other baked dishes, the rice must release enough starch to bind the grains together as well as to the other ingredients in the dish. Recommended varieties are: Originario, Ribe, Baldo, Roma, and Arborio. • For rice salads, rice must maintain its consistency after cooking, with grains that remain well separated. Recommended varieties are: Carnaroli, Vialone Nano and the aromatic ones such as Apollo, Artemide, Ermes, and Venere. • For paella, a Spanish dish that is fairly common in the world, the grains must remain firm and crunchy. Recommended varieties are: Carnaroli or Vialone Nano. • For desserts, rice with rounded grains are used. Recommended varieties are: Originario or Balilla. For cakes that need to remain soft, Baldo or Roma varieties are recommended. • For sushi, the Japanese dish now universally widespread, for Italian varieties that offer the right amount of starch, the recommended variety is Selenio. Roma and Baldo can also be used. Lukasz Rawa on Unsplash 54 INGREDIENTS
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