Death Of A (Ramen) King

I read this article this morning and felt compelled to write something about the man whose invention is so popular both here in Korea and at home. Momofuku Ando may not be a household name, but instant ramen noodles are immediately recognizable in many, if not most, corners of the world. When I was very young, I used to have a bowl of "Oodles of Noodles" after cross-country skiing expeditions; for a while, I even thought it was a special wintertime food. In middle school, I remember the Korean and Thai students becoming small-time entrepreneurs as they would sell contraband packages of ramen that their parents had sent them to the other students for vastly inflated prices. Of course, anyone who has been to college in the States has probably had a bowl of ramen at one time or another (during my first-year orientation week we had no less than three "Ramen Fests" in my dorm). We often eat ramen for lunch at work because it is simple and, well, tasty. Although Koreans are quick to remind me that it isn't a very healthy food, they love it too. Some of the ramen over here is much spicier than the American version, which is just fine by me. All of this makes me want to see one of my favorite movies, the Japanese "noodle western" Tampopo, which I urge anyone who loves food to see.