Noodle World 2012
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The Inter-Food Noodle World is an annual industry food event, with a focus on noodles.
I managed to snag a pass, let’s see what this is all about!
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Anything noodle related, you can be sure it is represented here. There were half a dozen noodle manufacturers on site. Most ramen shops in Japan use noodles that were made at a factory. Don’t let the word factory dissuade you; these are often very high quality. Back in the USA we have a few of these noodle factories, and if you have a bowl in a major coastal city the chances that you are eating Sun Noodles or Yamachan are very high.
 
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Be careful at these industry events, or you will be loaded down with more samples than you can carry.
 
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Variety is key in Japan. Often a shop’s secret recipe isn’t such a mystery, but the careful selection of ingredients is what make it stand out. Do you want niboshi from Chiba or niboshi from the Seto Sea?
 
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Miso from Hokkaido.
 
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Kitchen equipment. This pressure cooker lets you make a 12 hour stock in about two. You might need a second mortgage on your home to buy one though. Very cool technology. I had a chance to use this cooker in Osaka, which I will write about someday soon.
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Ticket machines with digital touch screens. SUICA is charge card that is meant for use on the trains, but has since become a standard form of payment. Choose your ramen, then just wave your wallet in front of the machine. Slick!
 
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This expo isn’t just for ramen. And despite being called Noodle World, there are also sections for izakayas, hotel foods, and franchising.
 
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I tried to talk to as many ramen-related exhibitors as I could before heading out to non-ramen sections. Can you guess why? These expos are an easy place to get very, very drunk.
 
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Why buy US fries? According to the info-graphic . . . we’re #1!
 
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Whale anyone?
 
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When you start to spend some time talking with the black sesame fountain guy, maybe it is time to go.
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The next day, I made some nice mazemen with the noodle samples I got from Maru Yama Seimen.
 
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Yum!

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