AUTHOR: Jon Cianfrani, Producer, The Mind of a Chef
EPISODE: RICE
CHEF: SEAN BROCK
At the very first meeting with Sean Brock, we discussed story ideas for the new season of The Mind of a Chef. One theme kept coming up: Rice.
Sean talked at length about the history of rice in the South, his favorite rice dishes, and the work he was doing with farmers, scientists, and historians to improve upon a variety called Carolina Gold. It became clear that this had to be an episode.
For a moment, I thought it could be difficult for us to find enough content to fill an episode. One of the dishes, called Charleston Ice Cream, is simply a plate of rice dressed with herbs. But when you listen to the stories behind this grain, you begin to understand that to Sean rice is more than a staple at the dinner table, it is a staple of all of Southern culture. And with that understanding, we realized that we could make an entire season out of rice if we wanted.
Director of Photography Selene Preston films fields of rice outside of Abbeville, Louisiana. In the background, a thunderstorm is approaching.
This is Carolina Gold Rice being milled at Anson Mills in Columbia, South Carolina. Since 1998, owner Glenn Roberts has grown and milled heirloom grains. Do yourself a favor and order some of this Carolina Gold Rice from Anson Mills; it’s unlike any rice you’ve ever had.
This is Sandaga Market in Senegal. In the 17th Century, Carolina Gold Rice was one of the three major exports from the colonies, along with indigo and cotton. The rice made its way around the world, and even today the rice in Senegal shares the same DNA as the Carolina Gold.
These are rice fields outside of Abbeville, Louisiana. This rice is about two months away from harvesting.
Broken rice is the rice left behind during the milling process. Although broken rice is sometimes considered peasant food, Sean Brock has found many uses for it in his kitchen, and it is popular around the world, from Senegal to Thailand.
This is Perlou, a low country staple that Sean cooked for Glenn Roberts. It is an amazing balance of shrimp, smoked sausage, oysters, and Carolina Gold Rice.
These are the building blocks of Sean Brock’s Charleston Ice Cream: Carolina Gold Rice, butter, bay, benne seeds, and fresh herbs from his garden. To cook, you boil the rice until it’s about 75% done, then finish it in the oven on low heat to bring out the natural floral flavors.
Director of Photography and myself hanging a portrait of Willie Nelson after wrapping at Husk, Nashville. I think everyone should have at least one photograph of this country legend in their home.
Photography by Zero Point Zero, from The Mind of a Chef.
