[Cooking Essay] It's so hot, so incredibly hot, that I'm already eating nothing but somen noodles

It's so hot, so incredibly hot, that I just don't know what to do.

Japan has lost its four seasons, and now it's just an endless cycle of summer and winter. There are only a few brief periods when it's pleasant to walk outside, and I struggle with both choosing what to wear and what to eat.

I never imagined I would start eating somen as early as June.

When I was a child, somen was a staple lunch during summer vacation. I would go to radio calisthenics, play with my friends, and when I got home, my mother would have boiled a huge amount of somen. She would fill a large bowl with water, and the thin noodles would swim around freely inside.

"Ugh, somen again?"

That was my catchphrase.

I suppose I was just mimicking the lines that always seemed to come up whenever somen was featured in daily-life anime like 'Chibi Maruko-chan' or 'Crayon Shin-chan'.

Because of that, I'm not sure how much of it was my true feeling, but for a long time, I had the vague impression that somen wasn't very good. Still, since I was a fully dependent child back then, I filled my stomach with it even if I was reluctant.

After I became a college student and started living on my own, I never boiled somen just for myself. Even though I knew it was a symbol of summer, I didn't feel like going out of my way to eat it. If anything, I might have been canceling somen as a symbol of having left my parents' home.

However, once, when I was having lunch at the home of a female dancer I was close with, I was surprised when she served me a type of somen I had never known before. While it looked the same—white, thin noodles—the taste was completely different.

"This somen is incredibly delicious!"

When I said that with excitement, she replied nonchalantly,

"Really? It's just regular Ibonoito."

That was her answer.

My mother wasn't one to be particular about cooking, so she always bought the cheapest somen at the supermarket. I had heard of Ibonoito because it's famous, but I had no idea it was such a different experience. I genuinely wished I had encountered it sooner.

In addition, the noodle dipping sauce was homemade, which also blew me away.

"Wait? You can make noodle dipping sauce?"

"What do you mean? Of course you can. You just mix soy sauce, dashi, and mirin."

It was a simple culture shock.

She had prepared a large amount of condiments, fried some tempura, and the dining table was incredibly vibrant. It was so different from the monotone scene I used to see. To put it simply, it was colorful.

At the time, I was shocked to realize that people in other households enjoyed eating somen so much, but I later realized that she was just exceptionally good at cooking. Still, it was a major discovery for me to learn that somen has so much potential.

Since then, I've started eating somen even when I'm alone. It's a bit pricey, but I make sure to buy Ibonoito. I slice the green onions thinly, and I never skip the myoga ginger and shiso leaves. I don't use the tube ginger; I grate fresh ginger every time. It really does taste different, doesn't it?

At first, I even tried making tempura, but it gradually became too much of a hassle. I mean, the whole point of eating somen is that it's hot, so why should I have to deep-fry something in the kitchen? I'd be drenched in sweat and feel like I'm going to die! As a compromise, I keep some high-quality tempura flakes on hand.

Making my own noodle dipping sauce was indeed easier than I imagined. However, doing that on a hot day is just too much trouble, so one way or another, I ended up going back to store-bought versions.

I have ideals. But somen is one of those things that's hard to live up to them with.

I think about doing this and that. Yet, when it comes time to actually cook, I find myself wanting to cut corners more and more. This isn't my fault. Whose fault is it? It's that. It's the summer's fault!

It's just right to boil them casually while listening to something like 'Summer Jam '95'.

If I weren't allergic to buckwheat, I might stand up intending to boil somen, only to find myself slurping down a zaru or seiro at the local soba shop instead.

That's how much of a chore it is just to boil noodles.

It would be fine if it weren't hot. If it weren't hot. But if it weren't hot, I wouldn't even think about eating somen, so what can I do about this dilemma?

With all that said, I've already had somen many times this year.

Apparently, it's not good to leave the noodles soaking in water like my mother used to do, as they get soggy. But if you just leave them in a colander, the noodles stick together.

It's a bit of a hassle, but I use a fork to twirl them into little bundles and plate them. This way, they stay delicious until the very end. This is the one thing worth putting in the effort for.

When I get bored of it, I arrange it in a Western style. I just simmer leftover vegetables and bacon from the fridge in a can of tomatoes and pour it over the boiled somen. It's surprisingly good.

Good grief, it's only just July, and I've already gone through so many bags of somen.

I worry about what's to come... Oh dear...

I'm on Marshmallow.
I'm looking for anonymous messages!
Questions, impressions, worries,
books you want me to read,
movies you want me to watch,
frustrations with society, etc.
Please feel free to send them in!!

I've started using Bluesky.
I'm feeling incredibly lonely and bored right now, so if you're on there, please, let's connect there too!