ibo-no-ito Q&A

	■*Where is "Ibo-no-ito"* produced ?**
	It is mainly produced in Tatsuno City,Hyogo Prefecture and other cities and towns in the basins of the Ibo, the Chigusa and the Yumesaki rivers. Over 600 manufacturers are engaged in its production.
	■*What is "Ibo-no-ito"* made of ?**
	It is made of fine flour, water of excellent quality and natural salt. No chemicals such as preservatives are applied. It is an ideal natural food.
	■*How is "Ibo-no-ito"* made ?**
	First of all, fine flour and salted water is well kneaded to be some stuff, and the stuff is stretched, as cotton oil being added, into long and fine twisted rolls, and the rolls wait for its own femenation. There are so many repetitions of the same process, longer and finer rolls, until its completion. It takes 36 hours to be completed for sale.
	■*Why is "Ibo-no-ito"* so delicious ?**
	Simply because it is hand-made. "Ibo-no-ito"is made elaborately in the traditional way:repeatedly kneading and stretching the stuff, and being let idle for fermentation. This causes gluten in flour to be arranged in twisted rows, with dextrin contained in it. That is why "Ibo-bo-ito"is much better in solidity, palatability and taste than any reproduction of machine-making.
	■*What does the band color of "Ibo-no-ito"* bundle indicate ?**
	The band colors, red and black, indicate the quality and weight of somen. The red band shows that a somen is 0.7～0.9mm in diamater and a bundle consists of 450～460 somens. The black band shows that a somen is finer and higher quakity: 0.65～0.7mm　in dieameter and a bundle consists of 560～580　somens.
	■*What is "Hine"* ?**
	"Ibo-no-ito" is made in winter, between November and March. The product that is shipped immediately after the process is called "Shin"(new), and the one that has been fermented in the well controlled storehouses for a year is called "hine"(old). "HIne" is what we can really recommend you because of its solidity, palatability and taste. How to cook somen