14 ■ Today in Mississippi ■ April 2015

It’s pretty to look at, with pearly white grains all the same size. But what’sreally special about Arant Acres’ Delta Blues Rice is what you can’t see. “It allcame from within about 30 miles of right here,” said Hugh Arant Jr., meaningGreenwood.

“We’re using a variety of ricedeveloped in Washington County, inStoneville. We’re growing it inSunflower County and then we’remilling it in Leflore County. at’sabout as Delta as you can get,” saidArant, a Delta Electric PowerAssociation member who serves onthe cooperative’s board of directors.

Although it costs more to pro-duce, Delta Blues Rice comes at atime when more consumers andchefs are seeking locally grown farmproducts—and showing a willingnessto pay more for their higher quality.

Most packages of long-grain whiterice sold in stores contain a numberof rice varieties grown by hundredsof farmers in several states, Arantsaid. “e big rice mills cannot segregate the varieties because they just have somuch volume. ey just throw everything in the same bag, and it doesn’t allcook the same way or look the same.”

e advantages of milling only one variety of rice, he said, include uniformityin both appearance and cooking time, as well as consistently good flavor. “In

fact, chefs have told us our rice cooks quicker, so they can cook it in small batch-es to order.”

Arant operates the farm in partnership with his brother, David, and nephewDavid Jr., the fourth generation of Arant farmers. ey produce corn, soybeansand rice on land their family has cultivated for more than 90 years.

e brothers’ father, the late Hugh Arant Sr., acquired a small rice milldecades ago and milled his own rice mainly to give to family and friends. “Wedidn’t know if they liked it because of the taste or the price,” Arant said laugh-ing.

e new Delta Blues brand of rice represents a significant commitment andinvestment in high-tech milling equipment to ensure a high-quality product thatis planted, harvested and marketed by the Arants. eir current product line oflong-grain white rice and rice grits will expand soon to include brown rice.

Arant Acres is also certified by the Mississippi Crop Improvement Associationto grow rice for seed production. MCIA inspections ensure the purity of boththe seed rice and Delta Blues rice fields prior to harvest.

Learn more about Delta Blues Rice and find retailers atwww.deltabluesrice.com.

mississipp i

Delta Blues RiceCooks

Basic Rice Grits1 cup Delta Blues Rice Grits2 cups water or chicken stock

1 pat butter1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir once. Cover andsimmer over low heat about 20 minutes or until water has been absorbed andrice grits are tender. Keep covered, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes.Serve with your favorite sauce or gravy.

Shrimp and Rice Grits½ cup butter½ cup finely chopped onion½ cup finely chopped bell pepper½ cup finely chopped celery4 cloves garlic, minced¼ cup flour

1 qt. warm chicken stock½ cup heavy whipping cream1 ½ lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined4 green onions, chopped and dividedCreole seasoningSalt, pepper

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper,celery and garlic, and sauté until tender. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables andcook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Add warmed chicken stock, one ladleat a time, stirring until fully incorporated. Stir in cream and bring sauce to asimmer. Add shrimp and green onions (minus 2 tablespoons), and cook untilshrimp turn pink. Season to taste and serve over prepared Delta Blues RiceGrits. Top each serving with remaining green onions.

Sausage Creole over Rice Grits4 Tbsp. butter1 small onion, chopped1 rib celery, chopped1 small bell pepper, chopped1 (12-oz.) pkg. Polish kielbasa, sliced2 Tbsp. flour1 can diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar8 to 12 oz. chicken stock3 to 4 Tbsp. heavy cream1 tsp. garlic powder½ Tbsp. Creole seasoningSalt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet. Add vegetables and sauté until soft. Add kielbasa andcook about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and kielbasa, and stirconstantly until flour just begins to brown. Pour in tomatoes and red wine vine-gar, and stir until combined. Add chicken stock and stir, cooking until slightlythickened. Stir in cream and seasonings. Cook on low 5 minutes. Adjust season-ings to taste. Serve over Delta Blues Rice Grits.

FEATURED FARMER:

Hugh Arant Jr.