As a child I remember my grandmother making a wonderful rice pudding that I loved. I never got her recipe and, as an adult, I tried many different recipes trying to duplicate the flavor of her rice pudding, but never quite got it right.

Then Eli started working at Oregon’s Wild Harvest. One day he was telling me about some of the things he had learned working there. One of the things he told me was that there was more than one kind of cinnamon and what you usually buy at the grocery store is not “true” cinnamon.

I immediately wondered if this was the difference in the rice pudding recipe I was trying so hard to recreate. I ordered some Ceylon cinnamon (often referred to as “true” cinnamon) and tried again to make the rice pudding that I remembered from my childhood. That was it! The subtle difference in taste from Cassia cinnamon (which is what is usually found at the grocery store) to Ceylon cinnamon made all the difference in the recipe.

This is a simple recipe that can be dressed up by adding cardamom, vanilla, or nutmeg, but I prefer this recipe because it tastes just like what I remember eating in my grandmother’s kitchen.

• ¾ cup rice (a medium-grain rice works best)
• 1½ cups water
• 3-inch stick cinnamon (Ceylon)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup sugar
• cinnamon sugar for topping

Cook rice in water according to package directions but add the cinnamon stick to the water as well. When the rice is finished pull out the cinnamon stick. Add the milk and simmer until slightly thickened (about 10 minutes). In a casserole dish, beat the eggs and sugar. Gradually add in the hot rice mixture. Go slowly so that the eggs don’t cook too fast and curdle. Stir to mix and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top. Bake at 325° F for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

This makes a very thick pudding that stands up when dished up. If you prefer a creamier pudding just eliminate the baking step and simmer it on the stove a little longer, then slowly pour into egg and sugar mixture. Let stand to cool and dish up! Don’t worry about the eggs — the mixture will be hot enough that the eggs will cook.

You can also make this as a breakfast porridge by using brown rice and only going to the step of adding milk and simmering until thickened. Then add a little cinnamon sugar and some apple chunks or berries.