An abundance of shiitakes has graced our little urban farm over the past few weeks, and we've been having fun experimenting with recipes both old and new. I just can never get tired of the rich and tangy taste of shiitakes. I'm so glad we're growing them this year!

We have to thank our friend Anna for introducing us to the joy of cold soba noodles in the summer. Chilly weather doesn't stop us from making these delicious buckwheat noodles, but it's oh so much more satisfying when the sun is shining. We had them for dinner on Sunday, holding our bowls in our laps on the porch swing, and marveling at the 8pm sun still going strong. This was the first time we've used sliced shiitakes in this "soup", and it definitely won't be the last!  This recipe is infinitely versatile, and it's one of those more-or-less to taste recipes that you can tweak to your liking. Plus, it's a really simple way to introduce yourself to Japanese cooking! It may look daunting, but it's actually quite simple and takes less than 30 minutes of prep. Here's how we make ours:

(Click through for the recipe!)