Why is Arborio Rice (risotto) so much more expensive than regular rice?

Answer 1

Partly supply and demand, and partly that it is a premium rice from Italy that can't be grown in the U.S. and called "Arborio."

Answer 2

NO! The whole idea behind risotto is that the rice takes on a creamy texture/consistency. The creaminess comes from the naturally high starch content of arborio rice. Basmati, Jasmine, Uncle Ben's...it just isn't going to work. You can cook it until the cows come home, and it will never never develop the texture that belongs only to risotto. Consider another dish if you don't have arborio rice.

Answer 3

Because of food trends: Now that Arborio Rice is in such demand, the suppliers can ask any price they want for it.....Remember, 10 years ago you rarely even heard of Risotto, and now it's in vogue, why I don't know, except the "foodies" have forced it upon us......Look at skirt steak and ribs, they used to be THROWN AWAY, now that they're in vogue, they can charge 3.99 a pound for ribs and 6.99 a pound for skirt steak......BTW, I wonder how many people would be grossed out if they knew that skirt steak is actually the diaphragm of the cow??? How appetizing is that???? That's why they came up with the name Skirt Steak......Grilled diaphragm doesn't sound particularly appetizing....Enjoy!!

Christopher

Answer 4

It's harder to cultivate. But when you consider than 2 cups of arborio makes 5 cups of ready-to-eat rice, and 2 cups of regular long grain only yileds 4 cups of ready-to-eat rice, it's not that expensive.