Not far from the city where Romeo and Juliet fell in love [Verona], the small commune of Isola della Scala produces some of Italy’s most prized varieties of rice. Unlike other parts of Italy, in this region, rice– not pasta– is the carbohydrate of choice.

In October, the rice-farming families, like the Melotti’s, dive into harvest, processing the pearly grains of Vialone Nano Veronese, a variety known to be so starchy that when cooked right creates the creamiest risotto.