As a kid, I didn't care for rice pudding. I don't know if I picked up on preferences of one of my parents. Or maybe it was ny limited exposure to a bland gloopy rice pudding that was enlivened only with raisins.

 

When I became exposed to Portuguese cuisine, I discovered that I was missing out on a flavorful and comforting dessert. Lemon peel and a cinnamon stick flavor the milky rice as it cooks. A generous dusting of cinnamon decorates and flavors the sweet rice. Arroz doce (sweet rice) is what the Portuguese call their semi-firm rice pudding.

 

My rice cookbook includes a recipe.

Although slightly less flavorful than I was hoping, this rice pudding came out ok. I might tweak the recipe, but I expect to revisit it.