S. Worthen | Weblog

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Rice n' Easy, at 28 Center St., will feature all-natural rice pudding, according to Alan Rulewich.

"We're trying to keep a healthy fast-food and dessert place," Alan Rulewich said, while offering "a unique food gourmet item for Northampton."

Rulewich, the founder of the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in Deerfield, said "rice pudding doesn't have as much sugar" as ice cream and "it has more protein," while the 21 flavors - many will change from day to day - will boost the pudding's appeal, he said.

Core flavors will include chocolate and vanilla, but some of the more unusual flavors will include mango, banana raspberry, pistachio and maple.

The Rulewiches are working on dairy-free and sugar-free rice puddings as well.

Twelve toppings such as graham cracker crumbs, dried fruit, candy and roasted nuts will be available for sprinkling on the pudding.

The concept of a shop specializing in rice pudding is blazingly new, though - surprisingly - Rice n' Easy is not the first rice pudding shop on the planet.

Rice to Riches, a year-old rice pudding cafe on New York's trendy Lower East Side, features rice pudding and only rice pudding in a futuristic storefront with rice-shaped ovals everywhere.