Soba Noodle Sensei
It’s freezing… -2 degrees and the three layers of clothes felt useless against Nagano’s fiercely frozen winds. It’s a snowy winter morning; I’m ankle-deep in fluffy white snow, struggling to put one leg in front of the other. I’ve just finished my 8km hike in the icy mountains of Nagano, Japan.
I’d been out here for hours, and after the 1000th snowflake dropped down on my face… I’d finally had enough.
Without any feeling left on the tip of my nose, I took shelter from the harsh, frosty winds in a small vintage Japanese cafe. Through the white shoji paper door, I waited for my Konacha tea to accompany my Tempura and Tofu Soba noodles.
I’ve been told they are a ‘must have’ as Nagano is ‘home of Soba Noodles!’
Being a chef for 20 years, believe me, I’ve tried soba noodles on many occasions. However, I could not believe how refreshing they tasted. They were light, well-balanced and carried a subtle earthy aroma that tantalised my tastebuds.
“I think I’ve found my new comfort food,” I told the waitress.
The following morning, I found a local cooking class that happened to teach the traditional art of making - you guessed it- soba noodles.
I am welcomed inside with a Gyokuro tea and am now protected from those ferocious winds. The kitchen overlooks the old Japanese street. I quickly put on my oversized apron and chef’s hat, which is a little too small for my liking.
Botan immediately dove into the different techniques we would use to create our masterpieces.
We started with a stone mill to produce 100% natural flour. We then used the Hikigurumi technique to stretch and pull the dough to create a thickness in the wet noodles. After that, we used a Nagaki to roll the noodles out of the soba dough.
The soba noodles were cut, boiled, rinsed, cooled, and then served!
They were unreal.
So much flavour in such a simple dish.
I could feel myself relaxing and recharging in every bite of those tender soba noodles.
I could climb another hike immediately after I put down the fork.
After the end of the class, I felt like I’d spent the entire morning with a group of friends. Botan was so friendly, answering any questions along the way, encouraging and guiding me.
Everybody had tried creating a beautiful lunch while learning about Japan's rich history of cooking.
At the end of the lesson, the soba chef, Botan, explained the health benefits of soba noodles, including how they are high in B1 and B2 vitamins and also reduce high blood pressure. Who would have thought something so simple could do that?
FYI - It’s WAY better than store-bought. It feels like a completely different dish.
This one went straight into my personal recipe book!
The satisfaction of eating fresh, traditionally made food is eye-opening on so many levels, from the texture to the authenticity of its culture. It was excellent (not to mention the health benefits!).
I love travelling to different countries. It helps me incorporate their culture into my food.
It was the inspiration behind my Soba Noodle edition salads.
This experience was definitely worthwhile and one of the highlights of my trip!
The best part is that I can now have traditional Japanese-style soba noodles daily…
I just have to drive to Jungle Thai!
**P.S. Do you have a country you’d like to travel to? I’d love to hear your ideas. Looking to master your kitchen at home? Join our newsletter; I might have some tips for you!**