Who Is the World’s Strongest Appraiser? ~Living in Another World With Satisfying Meals~

Please Enjoy Handmade Udon That Tastes Delicious

“……Ah, on a hot day like this, I want to eat cold udon.”

It was a slightly warm, sunny afternoon when Yuuri muttered these words absentmindedly. While doing embroidery as his hobby in the living room, Yuuri muttered this with a distant look in his eyes. If someone asked why he was thinking about such things, that would be the end of it, but since he’d already started craving it, there was no helping it.

The reason was that while their diet was enriched with standard Japanese ingredients like soy sauce, miso, and rice, precisely because it was enriched, the inability to eat familiar foods occasionally pricked at Yuuri’s heart like thorns.

To be specific, he was tired of pasta being the only noodle option available.

Living in modern Japan meant that aside from standard Japanese noodles like udon, soba, and somen, there were also ramen, harusame glass noodles, and pho available besides pasta. Unconsciously, Japan might actually be a noodle powerhouse. Maybe Japanese people just really like noodles.

At any rate, as a Japanese person, Yuuri found himself craving nostalgic noodles. He was hungry enough to turn pasta into something resembling ramen soup pasta. Not that both regular pasta and ramen-style soup pasta were delicious, but still.

“During hot seasons, I really want to eat cold udon, soba, somen…”

“That’s true.”

“…………Huh?”

Yuuri, who had been muttering to himself with a distant look, was taken aback when someone naturally agreed with him. When he turned to look, there was Yakumo, who might have just returned from going out, smiling while holding his hat against his chest. As usual, he wore a kimono with short boots, giving off some Taisho romanticism vibes… Though this was just Yuuri’s imagination, so it’s best not to think too deeply about it.

While Yuuri stood dumbfounded, Yakumo nodded knowingly, saying things like cold noodles are delicious on hot days. He went on about condiments this and freshly made that, but all those words went in one ear and out the other for Yuuri.

Then, Yakumo casually dropped a bombshell.

“Though the downside is that hand-making them is a bit tiring.”

Yuuri, who had frozen up, turned to look at Yakumo with mechanical doll-like movements. If sound effects were added, it would probably be something like “creak creak.” Like the movements of a mechanical doll that’s run out of oil and rusted. Of course, he’d never actually seen one, just imagined it based on manga and anime.

Seeing Yuuri move so strangely, Yakumo tilted his head in puzzlement. His usual carefree smile and droopy eyes now looked somewhat bewildered. Seeing this, Yuuri asked with complete seriousness:

“Yakumo-san, can you make udon?”

“Huh?”

“You can make udon?!”

“W-well, yes. I can’t make soba or somen, but I grew up making udon at home.”

“Please make some!”

“…………Huh?”

Grabbing Yakumo’s hands tightly, Yuuri shouted loudly. His face was deadly serious. Extremely serious. It’s rare to see Yuuri with such a serious expression, which only added to Yakumo’s confusion.

…The fact that what he was being so serious about was a request to make udon didn’t help.

“Yuuri…?”

“I’ll buy any ingredients you need! So please make udon for us!”

“…………Were you really that starved…?”

“I’m tired of pasta…”

Yakumo couldn’t help but be amazed by Yuuri’s desperate enthusiasm. What followed was an utterly earnest statement. Having been away from his homeland for so long, Yakumo had a high adaptability to local cuisines. Of course, he’d be happy if he encountered Japanese food similar to his hometown flavors, but he wasn’t particularly troubled by their absence.

But Yuuri was troubled. Or rather, starved. Probably because he was the one cooking. If he were on the receiving end, he’d probably exercise some self-restraint and not complain about the food offered. But since he was the one cooking, his frustration at not being able to eat what he wanted kept building up.

…Well, setting aside complicated explanations, today’s weather and temperature had reminded Yuuri of his craving for “cold udon in summer.” As usual, his homesickness-like feelings were triggered by food. The airhead never wavers.

“It shouldn’t be particularly difficult.”

“But I’ve never made udon before…”

“Understood. Understood, so stop looking at me like that…”

Yakumo relented under Yuuri’s pleading puppy-dog eyes. Though Yuuri himself was wondering “What kind of look am I giving?” Specifically, he was making abandoned puppy eyes without realizing it. That Yakumo couldn’t refuse such a look showed what a kind person he was.

“Then let’s go buy flour.”

“Roger that!”

Yuuri nodded with a crisp smile. He was full of motivation. Extremely motivated. A young man who would work hard endlessly for the sake of food he wanted to eat. Please don’t say he’s really greedy in some way – deliciousness is justice.

After returning with Yakumo from buying udon ingredients (specifically flour), Yuuri was in such a good mood you could almost see musical notes floating around his head. Incidentally, what Yakumo had determined they needed was flour specifically called “medium-strength flour” among wheat flours. Different production methods result in slightly different flours, each suited for specific uses.

Bread flour is good for making bread and pasta, while cake flour is used for pastries like cakes. Tempura also often uses cake flour. The flour most commonly found in households is probably cake flour – it might be the most versatile for home cooking.

The medium-strength flour they bought this time was perfect for making udon. It’s also used for okonomiyaki and takoyaki. Since it’s not commonly seen, sometimes people mix cake flour and bread flour as a substitute, but getting the proportions right is apparently tricky.

That said, you can make udon with cake flour alone, or with a mix of cake and bread flour. But Yakumo was accustomed to using medium-strength flour, and wanted to use familiar ingredients.

“…Come to think of it, it’s surprising they even sold medium-strength flour.”

Yuuri couldn’t help but murmur this pensively. Judging from its uses, medium-strength flour probably serves no purpose in this region. Compared to bread flour for bread and pasta, and cake flour for everyday cooking, medium-strength flour clearly has no use here. A flour whose main use is as an ingredient for udon would never take root in a region where Western-style cuisine dominates.

And yet, the small flour shop Yakumo took him to somehow had medium-strength flour in stock. Of course, there was less of it compared to other types, but Yuuri was surprised it was part of their regular lineup at all. Despite udon, okonomiyaki and takoyaki not existing in this region.

“Yes. That shopkeeper is what you might call a flour enthusiast.”

“Flour enthusiast.”

“He once said something about the infinite possibilities of wheat flour.”

“The infinite possibilities of wheat flour.”

Yuuri could only parrot back these powerful words coming from Yakumo’s calm mouth. He thought about how every field has its enthusiasts. Well, since they’d fortunately obtained medium-strength flour this time, he decided not to dwell on the details. They had the shopkeeper’s passion to thank for this.

“By the way, Yuuri.”

“Yes?”

“It would be reassuring to have some reinforcements.”

“…?”

“Just the two of us kneading enough for everyone would be exhausting.”

“Understood. I’ll go get the person in charge, so Yakumo-san, please go ahead to the kitchen.”

“Person in charge…?”

At the entrance, Yuuri handed Yakumo the magic bag containing the medium-strength flour and ran off with a brilliant smile. As Yuuri went running down the hallway, Rooks, who had been quietly waiting, went bouncing after him. …Of course, since Yuuri was going out, Rooks properly accompanied him as his familiar monster.

Yuuri headed straight for the area with everyone’s private rooms. Without hesitation, he knocked and entered the moment he heard a response.

Then.

“Urgus, help me!”

“…With what?”

“Today’s self-study, right? It’s okay to ask for your help, right?”

“No, I mean what do you need help with!?”

“Manual labor!”

“…Ah, my department.”

“Yep.”

Faced with Yuuri’s beaming smile, Urgus sighed. He had apparently been doing some writing practice, and began putting away his writing tools to prepare to move. Though he complained, he was actually a very caring big brother type. Though if you pointed that out, he’d probably yell to hide his embarrassment.

And so, practically declaring he’d secured labor, Yuuri brought Urgus to the kitchen. There, Yakumo was wearing a simple apron and steadily preparing. The purchased medium-strength flour had been measured out, with other ingredients and tools laid out. …Competent adults sure prepare quickly.

“Huh? Why is Yakumo-san here?”

“Didn’t Yuuri tell you?”

“He just said to help with manual labor.”

“…Well, it is manual labor. I need help making udon – noodles from my homeland.”

“…?”

“Kneading requires strength. Making enough for everyone means we’ll need a lot, right?”

“Ah… Roger that.”

After a moment of distant contemplation at Yakumo’s explanation, Urgus nodded. Yes, making enough for everyone would be tough. The main members were active adventurers and youths training to become adventurers after all. It was obvious they’d need to make a large amount.

Without really understanding what udon was, Urgus washed his hands and put on an apron. Yuuri was already completely ready. Seeing the excited young man, Urgus thought “This guy definitely said something to make this happen.” He wasn’t wrong.

“The ingredients for udon are basically just wheat flour, water and salt.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard some methods use eggs, but I don’t.”

“I’ve never heard of egg-included versions either.”

“Apparently that method exists.”

“Is that so.”

While having this relaxed conversation, Yakumo made salt water in a bowl. It’s a simple task of just mixing salt and water, but you need to stir thoroughly to dissolve the salt evenly. By the way, depending on the season, you might need to adjust with cold or warm water to match the flour temperature. This time it’s cold water.

After making the salt water, the next step is mixing the flour and salt water. Place a damp cloth under the bowl to prevent slipping, then add the required amount of flour – medium-strength flour this time. All measurements and such were under Yakumo’s direction, with Yuuri and Urgus diligently assisting.

After adding about two-thirds of the salt water to the flour in the bowl, mix vigorously by hand. While mixing carefully to avoid lumps, add the remaining salt water once it starts coming together. This process is called “mizumawashi” (water mixing).

Since they needed to make enough for everyone, they used two bowls for the task. Using one bowl would make the dough too large and require more strength when kneading, so they deliberately split it. …They agreed to give up if even this wasn’t enough.

Incidentally, Yakumo and Urgus were the ones doing the vigorous mixing. Since it’s quite a strenuous task, Yuuri was excluded from the start. So he helped by adding salt water or steadying the bowls.

“Any lumps can be pulled apart like this.”

“I see.”

“Ah, I’ll handle the lump-breaking!”

“…You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Huh? But if we do well here, we’ll get delicious udon, right?”

…Ah, yeah. You’re like that.”

Yuuri eagerly volunteered when he found something he could do. While Yakumo and Urgus mixed vigorously, Yuuri carefully broke apart any lumps and returned them to the bowl. He was unwavering in his full effort for the sake of delicious food.

Eventually, the contents of the bowls became moist and crumbly. The color changed from pure white to slightly yellowish. This marked the end of this stage.

“Once it reaches about this color, we start bringing the dough together. Fold the outer edges inward, press, flip and press again.”

“Like this?”

“Yes. Repeat this until the dough fully comes together.”

“Roger that.”

The previously scattered dough steadily came together in their hands. As they pressed and folded repeatedly, Yuuri watched excitedly. He was extremely eager. This part required strength, so Yuuri just watched.

Once the dough came together, the next step was kneading. This required the most strength, which was why Urgus had been called for help. Yuuri was clearly not up to the task.

“Normally we’d use a special rolling board, but today we’ll substitute with this.”

“What’s that?”

“I think it’s the board used for kneading bread.”

“…You were making bread…?”

“No, I think it was just there unused.”

“……”

At Yakumo’s casual remark, Yuuri and Urgus exchanged glances. Why would something they didn’t use and probably never would be there? A mystery unfolded in their hearts. By the way, this was actually one of the tools received through connections with craftsmen, so no one had pointlessly purchased it. Networking is important.

After dusting the board with flour to prevent sticking, Yakumo placed the dough ball from the bowl onto it and began kneading. Urgus watched intently, knowing he’d have to do the same soon.

Applying weight to flatten the dough, repeating until fully flattened. Once flat, fold into thirds. After folding, flip so the folded side is down and press again. Repeat this several times.

“Ah, this really does take some strength.”

“Just watching makes me think so.”

“Yuuri would definitely get sore hands.”

“That’s why I called Urgus.”

Right person for the right job. Yuuri’s judgment wasn’t wrong. Though still a youth, Urgus had the [Strong Arm] skill giving him adult-level strength. He soon got used to flattening the dough and made it look easy. Beside him, Yakumo worked with practiced motions.

After several repetitions, the dough became quite firm, with reduced surface cracking. The smooth, glossy dough somewhat resembled bread dough. Well, it is kneaded wheat flour after all.

“Once the surface is smooth like this, it needs to rest. Put it in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and wait about 30 minutes to an hour.”

“Roger that~”

“Then I’ll go back to self-study while we wait.”

“Thanks Urgus~”

“Sure. Call me when you need me.”

“Got it. I’ll have Roo-chan fetch you.”

“You’re not coming yourself?”

Leaving that retort behind, Urgus washed his hands and left. Though he complained, he was a good kid who’d help to the end. Though he might make an awkward face if Yuuri, barely younger, called him a good kid.

Incidentally, when resting the dough, shape it into a slightly flattened round like a kagami mochi. Why round? Neither Yakumo nor Yuuri knew. But since bread dough is also rounded before resting, it’s probably better round. Probably.

In this world without plastic bags or wrap, they used bowls with damp cloths, but in modern Japan you could just toss it in a large plastic bag to rest. Plastic bags are incredibly convenient. So is plastic wrap. Modern Japanese kitchen tools are truly excessively convenient.

“By the way, we’re not slapping or pounding it?”

“There are probably various methods, but this is the only one I know.”

“I see~”

“When women or children without enough strength make it, they sometimes put it in a bag and step on it, but if you can do it by hand, that’s fine.”

“Ah, so the foot-stomping method does exist.”

“Yes.”

Yakumo explained while sipping cold green tea. Yuuri didn’t know much about udon-making, having only seen it on TV without trying it himself. Still, he’d often seen people kneading by slapping the dough or stepping on it, so the hand-only method seemed strange.

That said, hand-kneading is only feasible for the strong. For a weakling like Yuuri, stepping on it in a bag would definitely be faster. …Well, that’s precisely why he’d called Urgus.

As they chatted leisurely, the dough finished resting. Yakumo poked the dough with his finger. Yuuri did the same with the other bowl’s dough. It dented but sprang back about one-third. The resting had made the dough even smoother.

Yuuri glanced down at Rooks, who had returned after finishing cleaning the hideout during their chat. Smiling at the clever slime, Rooks bounced out of the kitchen – going to fetch Urgus. As always, Rooks was smart and helpful.

When Urgus returned, he quickly washed up and put on his apron. Yuuri rolled the dough onto the board before yielding his spot to Urgus without a word. Understanding, Urgus stood beside Yakumo without complaint.

Next was “nakamomi” (middle kneading). While not requiring as much strength as the initial kneading, it’s important for making the dough easier to roll out and developing chewiness, so it shouldn’t be skipped.

“Like this, fold the edges inward while rotating. Fold while standing the dough up, toward yourself.”

“Like this?”

“Don’t use too much force.”

“Okay.”

Guided by Yakumo, Urgus diligently performed the unfamiliar task. He didn’t know how this would turn out, but since he knew it would become food, he worked hard.

Incidentally, folding in this order should, if done well, result in a nice round shape when flipped. Repeat once more to finish. The folded side might have some wrinkles, but that’s fine. Of course, fewer wrinkles are better.

Yakumo’s experienced hands produced dough with almost no wrinkles – a perfect round. Urgus’s beginner attempt had some wrinkles and wasn’t as pretty, but the surface was smooth enough to not be a problem.

“Let this rest again. This time 10-20 minutes, so let’s boil water in the pot meanwhile.”

“Roger that.”

They covered the dough bowls with damp cloths again to prevent moisture loss. Yuuri thought how convenient plastic bags were, since most home udon-making on TV made full use of them.

“Yuuri, do you still need me?”

“Yakumo-san, what do you think?”

“Might as well stay till the end. …Eating freshly made is the real appeal of handmade.”

“That’s true.”

“Understood.”

Sensing the manual labor might be over, Urgus asked, to which Yakumo cheerfully persuaded him to stay, looking as mischievous as a child with a fun idea. Having no objections to eating something delicious, Urgus readily agreed.

While boiling water simultaneously so they could cook the noodles immediately once ready, they kept it at a low simmer after boiling to prevent evaporation. Once the dough finished resting, it was time for the rolling stage.

Before placing the dough on the board, they prepared by dusting with flour to prevent sticking. While regular flour works, they used potato starch this time since flour blends in too easily. After dusting the board and lightly coating the dough, they were ready.

“Now we roll out the dough. First press with the rolling pin to flatten into a circle. Press the center toward the far side, then the near side.”

“Like this?”

“Yes. Then rotate the dough and repeat. 3-4 times should suffice.”

“Roger that.”

After the initial rolling, they rotated the dough 90 degrees and repeated several times until circular. …Well, Urgus’s was probably circular-ish, just somewhat misshapen. But that’s part of the charm. Beginners can’t be helped.

Before the next step, they dusted with more flour – slightly more this time, since serious rolling was about to begin and sticking would be disastrous. After dusting, they rolled the pin away from themselves while applying weight.

“Once sufficiently rolled, turn it vertically and remove the pin.”

“Okay.”

“After removing, repeat the process. Shape into a square, aiming for about 3mm thickness evenly.”

“Understood.”

“Go Urgus!”

“Yeah!”

While Yakumo worked quickly with practiced ease, Urgus was somewhat clumsy. Still, Yuuri cheered for his diligent efforts. Meanwhile, Yuuri’s mind was already focused on eating the finished product. Unwavering.

“Ah, I’ll prepare the dipping sauce and condiments while you work.”

“Good. Please do.”

“Yes!”

Leaving the dough-making to the other two, Yuuri began preparing the eating accompaniments. Wanting cold udon, he prepared mentsuyu (noodle soup base) which just needed diluting with water. Next were condiments.

From the refrigerator, he took green onions, ginger, green shiso, and myoga. He grated the ginger, thinly sliced the onions, and julienned the shiso and myoga with practiced knife skills. As Yuuri worked by the sink, behind him the other two diligently rolled dough at the counter.

Rooks peeked into the kitchen from the doorway, watching the three at work, though none noticed. …Incidentally, Rooks was waiting to see if there would be washing up or food waste to handle. Ever-reliable Rooks.

“Yuuri, we’re starting to cut the dough. Is the pot ready?”

“All set. I’ve also prepared ice for cooling.”

“…You’re really thorough about these things.”

“Since we’re doing this, we might as well enjoy it properly, right?”

Yakumo sighed slightly at Yuuri’s sparkling smile. Urgus did the same beside him. Yuuri’s passion for delicious food was far stronger than his usual airheaded demeanor suggested. Though of course, he wasn’t always like this.

Today, finally getting to eat his longed-for udon had him slightly excited. Please don’t say he’s like a kindergartener before a field trip – it’s fine, he’s still a minor so it’s acceptable.

When Yuuri looked over, Yakumo and Urgus were already folding the dough in preparation for cutting. By the way, the folding method is called “byobu folding” – like folding a folding screen, alternating directions. Similar to accordion folding in origami. The main point is to dust generously between folds to prevent sticking.

They folded to a width easy to cut with a knife. Professionals might have special long udon knives, but households don’t. Regular knives work fine if you fold to a manageable width.

The folded dough was placed on a floured cutting board, with more flour dusted on top. Preventing sticking is paramount. Don’t worry – the flour will wash off when boiled. Better flour-covered than stuck and torn noodles. …Probably?

As Yakumo started cutting the dough to noodle width, he suddenly turned to Yuuri who was watching eagerly.

“Yuuri.”

“Yes?”

“Your turn.”

“Ah, understood.”

With a “leave it to me” smile, Yuuri began cutting. His Level 50+ [Cooking] skill wasn’t for show – having recently checked, it was around 65. Cutting dough evenly and quickly was child’s play.

Urgus watched with distant eyes as the dough was swiftly cut with light tapping sounds. Yuuri’s knife skills were as impressive as ever. In no time, all the dough was cut, with Yakumo lifting portions to dust off excess flour before returning them to the board. This removed excess flour while coating the cut surfaces – killing two birds with one stone.

Now, with this done, completion was near. They started by boiling two portions of udon. This requires copious water – said to be 5-10 times the noodles’ volume. In a certain udon-famous prefecture in Shikoku, despite water shortage concerns, they never compromise on boiling water for udon. That’s some admirable udon dedication.

After loosening the noodles with chopsticks while adding to the pot, they waited for them to sink then rise again. Once the water returned to boiling, they reduced heat to prevent overflow and boiled for about 10 minutes. Cooking time varies by preference and noodle thickness.

“Urgus, they’re done – strain the pot contents please.”

“Got it.”

Though the pot wasn’t that large, Yuuri let others handle this task since it would fog his glasses. Being used to this, Urgus didn’t mind.

After straining, they rinsed the udon with water to firm it up. Since they wanted cold udon, they added ice for rapid cooling. Overdoing this can make them too firm though. For personal consumption, just adjust to preference.

“They’re done!”

“I get they’re done, but how do we eat these?”

“This is where mentsuyu shines.”

“……Huh?”

Yakumo and Urgus were dumbfounded by Yuuri’s sparkling expression. Ignoring them (or rather, not noticing), Yuuri swiftly prepared for eating. The chilled udon was divided into small bowls, with diluted mentsuyu in separate bowls. The prepared condiments were arranged on small plates.

With chopsticks and cold tea ready, preparations were complete. “Done!” Yuuri’s beaming face showed pure joy. Urgus thought “This guy only thinks about eating,” but having longed for udon so much, it couldn’t be helped.

“Add condiments to taste. The dipping sauce is concentrated for dipping – dilute more if you want it as broth.”

“…I see. So this mentsuyu is for eating udon.”

“Technically udon and somen. That’s how we used it in my hometown.”

“You used it for cooking!?”

“Well it’s convenient.”

“…I see.”

Yuuri tilted his head as if wondering what was wrong with that. Since nothing actually was, Urgus couldn’t deny it. Indeed, mentsuyu is extremely convenient as a combined seasoning.

But the small talk ended there. Yuuri was excited for his long-awaited udon. Yakumo seemed happy to have udon again after so long. Beside them, Urgus tried udon for the first time with a “what is this?” expression.

Adding condiments to the broth, they dipped the noodles halfway before eating. The udon with firm chewiness slid coolly down Yuuri’s throat as he blissfully savored it.

Yakumo similarly enjoyed the freshly made, freshly boiled chilled udon. While hot udon is also delicious, on a hot day like this, cold udon was supreme. The condiments’ strong flavors complemented it well.

…Beside them, Urgus was struggling slightly.

“Urgus, what’s wrong?”

“Uh, it’s kind of hard to get into my mouth…”

“……?”

As Yuuri and Yakumo looked on puzzled, Urgus kept struggling to eat the udon. Watching his eating method, they suddenly realized – Urgus couldn’t slurp noodles. Now that they thought about it, slurping is actually quite difficult. Yuuri recalled similar reactions when he’d made soup pasta before.

Yakumo seemed to have the same realization, watching Urgus struggle while he himself slurped up noodles effortlessly. The two who could easily slurp noodles versus Urgus who had to firmly grab them with chopsticks to put them in his mouth. They couldn’t help but think it looked tough.

“Well, putting aside the difficulty of eating… Urgus, how’s the taste?”

“The chewiness is delicious.”

“Chewiness is key for handmade udon.”

“Also more filling than pasta since it’s heartier. Is this dinner tonight?”

“That’s the plan.”

At Yuuri’s grin, Urgus nodded. He understood Yuuri would probably make side dishes to complement the udon. Having finished first, Yakumo neatly arranged the cut noodles on a wiped tray, covering them with a damp cloth before refrigerating. There was still some time until dinner.

“…Ah.”

“What is it, Urgus?”

“Today’s cooking duty.”

“…Ah.”

At Urgus’s quiet murmur, Yuuri asked and received a grumbled reply. Yuuri also realized and looked distant. …You can guess. Today’s cooking duty belonged to the dashi fanatic.

“It’s fine! We’ll boil the udon last! If we don’t prepare it, they won’t find out!”

“Well, good luck.”

“…Yeah.”

Noodles eaten with proper dashi-infused mentsuyu would be irresistible bait. Yuuri firmly resolved not to be discovered until everything was ready. Otherwise, Mag might not leave the udon’s side from the start.

Though there were some minor mishaps during cooking, dinner proceeded mostly without issues, with everyone enjoying their first udon experience. Cold udon really hits the spot on hot days.