Food Writer Partners With Grain Producer To Spur Interest In Buckwheat

There’s a new noodle in the neighborhood. Soba originated in Japan, but unlike ramen, it is traditionally made from buckwheat. Food writer and cooking teacher Sonoko Sakai is an evangelist for soba: she believes it deserves more attention in the U.S. because buckwheat, used mainly as a cover crop in rotational systems, would contribute to environmental and personal health. Sakai is working with Anson Mills, a producer of heirloom grains, to develop and market Japanese buckwheat flour. Company founder Glenn Roberts expects his buckwheat flour will soon be available for commercial sale.