Calrose Rice
The variety of rice known as Calrose was first developed as an experimental crop of medium-grain japonica rice in California. This strain was created at the Rice Experiment Station near Biggs and made available to growers in California in 1948.

Hawaiian locals prefer to call this type of rice "sticky rice." Its sticky texture allows for easier shaping of foods such as musubi and various kinds of sushi.

This brand of rice is by far my favorite in terms of taste, surpassing all others. As a child, I recall that the only type of rice my parents would ever bring home was Calrose rice. This medium-grain variety of rice was a staple in our household, and I grew up savoring its distinct texture and flavor.

 

The Calrose Rice Sack
In the past, during the 1950s and 1960s, homemakers like my mother and aunties possessed remarkable resourcefulness. They would often find ways to repurpose items that others would have considered useless. One such item was the rice sack, which they ingeniously transformed into something practical and valuable.

Growing up, my mother had a clever way of repurposing rice sacks. She would cut them into squares or rectangles, overlap the edges, and sew them together to create kitchen towels. These sacks were made of 100% cotton and would become softer with each wash.

Whenever I would visit my Filipino friends and relatives, I would always see them hanging these cute little towels made from rice sacks on their kitchen cabinets. I remember thinking how clever it was of them to repurpose these sacks into something so practical and charming. Looking back, I really wish I had kept one of these towels as a keepsake of my dear mother's resourcefulness. I would have loved to frame it and show it off as a wonderful decor piece in my own home.