I’m kind of a nostalgia junkie. I love visiting sites such as this one and enjoying small trips down memory lane. I get this strange feeling in my chest when I see something I’d completely forgotten about. It’s hard to describe the feeling… a jolt? A rush of joy mixed with a touch of longing and a dash of sadness? I always find forgotten memories slightly sad. What else am I forgetting? Regardless, I love the feeling. A single image can bring back so many associated memories. A glimpse of an old toy will take me back to the room where I played with it. 30 years may have passed since I’ve tasted a particular candy but I remember exactly how it tasted the moment I see it. It’s amazing how our minds work, isn’t it?
I don’t live terribly far from my first childhood home. My parents still reside in the house where I lived from age 9 until college so I visit it regularly. But that first house… I want to peek inside so badly and see how it looks 25 years later. Sometimes when I’m in the neighborhood I’ll drive past it. There’s a tot lot right behind the house. I haven’t been there in years but there have been days when I’ve sat on the swings at the tot lot, marveling at the short distance between the playground and my old backyard. It’s a small hill, but when I was little it was like running the length of a football field. At the end of the football field was a massive weeping willow tree that I used to hide under. The tree is still there.
How small would that house look now if I walked through the halls, the kitchen, the bedrooms? I’m fascinated by the distorted perspective of my memories. I’ve only seen those walls through the eyes of a 9 year old. I know it would look tiny now but in my mind the inside of the house is so big. If I were to visit now the green shag carpet from my bedroom would probably be long gone as well as the yellow and white tiles from my playroom. I would love to see it but I don’t see how that’s possible. I would never knock on the front door. Do I write a letter? It seems like something so simple yet so unattainable. I’m not sure there’s any way to request entering a stranger’s home without sounding creepy. I guess I’ll just have to settle for distorted memories and an occasional visit to the tot lot on top of the not-so-big hill.
Cold Sesame Soba Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (1 bunch) soba noodles
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili oil, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon light agave
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds + 1 teaspoon for garnish
- 3 tablespoons pasta water
Instructions
- Prepare soba noodles according to instructions. Drain, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the pasta water. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together peanut butter, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, chili oil, light agave, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and pasta water.
- Toss the soba noodles and sauce together. Garnish with remaining sesame seeds before serving.
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
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Marta says
I have the same thing with my old house. I want to see how it looks inside and go there each year, actually it’s in a neighbourhood so whenever I visit my parents I go there as well. I don’t know why, maybe because I had such a good time over there. Nice recipe :)
Gerry says
I often think about my childhood and hope that my kids are storing memories which we can talk about when they become grown ups. Thanks for sharing such a cool story :)
Heather says
I miss my childhood home so badly!! My parents don’t live there anymore and I think the neighborhood went downhill after all these years. Boo. I think it’s the same for everyone though because my mom’s first home as a little girl was in East St. Louis but when she told her brother last year where she was going he said NOOOO!! You can’t go there! Nostalgia. We crave it like that Nintendo Power Pad. WOW!!!
Marie says
Loved this story! And this is the perfect dish for that story for me – my mom made cold soba noodle salad all the time growing up! Love it so much!
Bev says
Me. Wants.
Tieghan says
Love asian noodle! I want these now!
Ali says
I would totally write them a letter! I remember growing up, we had the previous owners ask to come see the place years later, and it was so cool to hear their thoughts! :)
These noodles sound completely comforting too. I love sesame noodles!
Jennifer Farley says
Maybe I will. After I posted this it occurred to me that I could send them some photos of me as a little kid inside the house so they’d know I’m not a psycho :)
Dorothy says
We went back to our first house once, and it was totally like that – everything seemed small, doll-sized. My memories were of huge doors! :) These noodles look SO good!
Valerie says
I begged my parents for a Sno-Cone machine (never got it though!). :D
This pasta dish looks delicious!!
Jennifer says
Love the dish! It sounds amazing! Would be perfect for lunch!!
Sommer says
Oooo, as the weather start to warm up, I love cooling our meals down. Delicious!
Cassie says
I love this recipe! I could eat cold noodles any time of day!
Kiran says
Delicious!
I would love visiting the home I grew up in, but my uncle had it all renovated. It’s no longer the same :(
Anna says
I often wonder who lives in our first house… I have seen it many times but never tried to contact the owners. You made me wonder… :) Anyhow, your soba noodles dish looks amazing!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love soba noodles and that peanut sauce looks so good! Wish I had a big bowl for lunch!