Takashi's Noodles

When I picked up this book, I thought it would be all very traditional buckwheat noodles sauces derived from fish. I thought that while appetizing, I could never taste the recipes because it would take the next twenty years of my life to perfect the craftsmanship of making the dough and shaping it. I was very surprised to find that many of the recipes used dried pastas and fresh, packaged pastas that I could find at ordinary grocery stores. The recipes were a huge mix of traditional Japanese dishes with pastas from other cultures (Asian and otherwise) and original ideas of Yagihashi himself. Some ingredients are harder to find in Iowa, like quail eggs, bonito flakes, and zuccini flowers, however many of the recipes use very basic ingredients like chicken stock and ginger that can be found in any supermarket. The easily shopped for recipes were not limited to the nontraditional recipes, either. For soba, udon, and somen fans it's an invaluable read and an informative one for everyone else.