KAGAWA, Feb. 4 — In the town of Shodoshima in Kagawa Prefecture, production of olive somen noodles made by combining local specialties of Shodoshima Island is at its peak.
More than 70 noodle producers on the island produce somen, thin and silky wheat noodles, and many of them make somen containing olives, a local specialty.
At Nakabu Shoten, a company that produces noodles and also cultivates olives, workers are busy sorting pale green noodles with chopsticks.
The firm grows olives at its own farm to be used as an ingredient.
To make olive noodles rich in flavor, olive juice is kneaded into dough and extra virgin olive oil, instead of sesame oil, is applied on the surface of the noodles to prevent them from getting dry.
All the work is done indoors so that the color of the noodles doesn’t fade by being exposed to sunlight.
When boiled, the noodles turn bright yellow green and people can enjoy the unique bitter flavor and scent of olives.
Yoshikage Nakabu, an official of the firm, said, “Since we had a good harvest of olives used as an ingredient, we are hoping to offer good somen noodles.”