さて蕎麦打ち修行開始するには、まずは準備運動・・・じゃない、用意しなければならないものがある。たしかに「蕎麦打ちセット」はみなさんからプレゼントされたけれど、練習するにしても蕎麦粉がなければ練習も出来ないということにハタと気付いた・・・って、当たり前ですが（笑）。
そういえば蕎麦粉ってどこに行ったら入手できるのか、そういう段階の情報から探す必要がある。WEBで「蕎麦粉、札幌」と検索しても、いきなり専門店の情報しか出てこない。「え、初心者なのにいきなり蕎麦粉専門店、それも業者さん専門の工場かよ」という驚き。
寿司ならば、お米は別段ふつうに家にあるし、ネタはちょっとした鮮魚コーナーのあるスーパーなどで仕入れることができる。わたしの場合、札幌中央市場の鮮魚卸店が経営している食品店によく行っているので（店頭のお魚写真のお店）、通常の買い出しに苦労はしない。そのほか、積丹の余市にはときどき情報を教えてくれるお魚屋さんもある。その他、買い出し先はそれこそ多様にある。
蕎麦粉の入手について、蘊蓄系の大先輩にさっそく指南をお願いヘルプミーであります。で、紹介いただいたのが写真のところで、自宅から車で30分ほどかかる札幌市白石区の蕎麦粉工場、札幌蕎麦製粉さんであります。
行ってみるとほとんどが業務用の生産工場で、大先輩のご指導通り、一般向けにも販売しているということでした。で、「道産石臼」という蕎麦粉を購入。当面はヘタな蕎麦を食べる人身御供は自分とカミさんということで、練習を重ねるために３kgほどを購入いたしました。だいたい１kgで10人前くらいの目安ということで、５−６回の練習素材になってくれそうであります。
一方で「そばつゆ」の方は、こちらも札幌市白石区の専門店・大熊商店さんに。店内に入ると工場から香り高い「カツオ節」の匂いがここちよい香りで激しく刺激してくる。こちらもいかにも業者向け専門店らしい雰囲気でしたが、やさしい女性スタッフの方がいて、当方の初心者ぶりに親切に対応していただけました。
わたしの潜在意識として出汁系の方はお寿司料理とも共通するので、いろいろ工夫したいと思うのですが、まずは王道から教えを乞いたいと思っています。そんなお話をしていたら、こちらの店主の方はシロウトの蕎麦同好者向けに「蕎麦教室」も開かれているそうで、「蕎麦汁のレシピ」という入門者向けの印刷物までいただいた。感謝。
こちらもさすがに奥行きの深さがプンプンと匂ってきます。さて、徐々に修行を開始していきたいと思います。もちろん潜行してやりますので、しばらく長い目で、よろしく。
English version⬇
Soba flour and dried bonito flakes are purchased at a specialty store for professional use.
As a man who is not a professional, I would like to start with “form” first, so I would like to introduce myself to a specialty store for professional use. The specialty store has a wonderfully educational atmosphere. The atmosphere is wonderfully educational.
Now, before we can start our training, we have to prepare for the next step........ I had a buckwheat noodle making set, but I realized that I could not practice without buckwheat flour........
I had to start from where to get Soba flour, and I had to search for it on the web. I was surprised to find only information on specialty shops, and I thought, “Oh, I am a beginner, and suddenly I find a soba flour specialty store, which is also a factory specializing in suppliers.
For sushi, rice is usually available at home, and ingredients can be purchased at supermarkets that have a small fresh fish section. In my case, I often go to a food store owned by a fresh fish wholesaler at the Sapporo Central Market (the store in the photo of the fish in the storefront), so I usually have no difficulty in buying fish. In addition, there is a fish shop in Yoichi, Shakotan that sometimes gives me information. There are many other places to buy buckwheat flour.
I asked a senior knowledgeable person for help in obtaining buckwheat flour. He introduced me to Sapporo Soba Flour Milling, a buckwheat flour factory in Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo City, about 30 minutes from my house by car.
When I went there, I found that it is mostly a production plant for commercial use, but as instructed by a senior staff member, they also sell to the general public. So, I bought a buckwheat flour called “Dosan Ishiwa. For the time being, I bought about 3 kg of it so that I and my wife would be the only ones to eat bad buckwheat noodles, and we could practice making buckwheat noodles. One kilogram of Soba flour is enough for about 10 servings, so it will be enough for 5-6 times of practice.
On the other hand, for “soba-tsuyu”, we went to Okuma Shoten, a specialty store in Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo City. Upon entering the store, the aromatic smell of “katsuobushi” (dried bonito flakes) from the factory was here, a pleasant aroma that stimulated us intensely. The atmosphere of the store was very much like a specialty store for traders, but there was a friendly female staff member who kindly responded to our novice-like situation.
I would like to devise various ways to use dashi as my subconscious, as it has something in common with sushi cuisine, but I would like to learn from the best first. As we were talking, I heard that the owner of this restaurant also holds “Soba classes” for novice Soba lovers, and he even gave me a printed material titled “Soba Soup Recipe” for beginners. We were very grateful.
I could smell the depth of the restaurant. Now, I would like to start my training gradually. Of course, I will do it undercover, so please bear with me for a while longer.
