57697 Sat Jan 03 14:16:09 -0800 2004 1 2 Los Angeles Area 0 301337 It's the time for new crop rice. We've got about a month before the flavor fades. (That last fact I just got from my mother.) I'm currently using Happy Buddha brand rice, which I get from Hawaii Supermarket - though it's available city-round. Better than Three Horses brand. (It takes a while to try, since the minimum size bag for most of these is 10 ibs.) Questions: 1. My mother's favored brand, which is a step better than Happy Buddha, is Coconut Tree. But I haven't seen it in L.A. Anyone seen it anywhere? 2. Anybody have anything better than Happy Buddha? With the market you buy it at, please. For Japanese rice, I am exceedingly satsified when the generally available Taka-whatever Gold rice, especially in its new crop (does anyone know if the cycle for the California-grown Japanese rices is different from the cycle of Thai/Viet/Chinese rices), which is available everywhere in L.A. But I am not quite satisfied with Happy Buddha. -thi Sat Jan 03 14:16:09 -0800 2004 0 Thi N. 1 301378 I second your vote for the new crop of California-grown Japanese rice. We usually purchase the Kokuho Rose rice from Koda Farm (make sure that it's 'Koda-mai'!) at around October (that's when the new crops are out in the stores), at a small Japanese-owned produce market in Arcadia: Sierra Produce 1304 S. Baldwin Ave, Arcadia 626-574-6918 This rice is really excellent for making sushi.... can't really describe WHAT exactly it is that makes it so special. The quality is superior to the other California-grown Japanese rice that I've eaten over the years. I'm pretty sure that you can buy the Koda-mais at Mitsuwa (San Gabriel and Little Tokyo), but they sell out pretty quickly. And they only sell them in the 20 pound bags. Sat Jan 03 21:55:24 -0800 2004 301337 0 Queen of Hearts