Inspiration: I got a new cookbook….and whilst it took a while to muster up the courage (and brain space) to try making my own ramen noodles — I am so thrilled I did!

Even better? The cookbook is absolutely fabulous! 

It’s a comic book cookbook! 

Let’s Make Ramen illustrates every step of the noodle making process — adding tips, tricks, and helpful hints along the way. And let me tell you, these come in VERY handy — since the dough initially looks like a hot mess. 

Crumbly, unevenly moistened, and shaggy….Seriously, any other time I’ve made something so raggedy it failed — in rather spectacular fashion. However, through the reassurances of the authors, I soldiered through and actually created ramen noodles!

(Now, mine are not the standard yellowy/orangey hue of traditional ramen noodles because I didn’t have any riboflavin on hand. Next time I’m going to try a pinch of turmeric to see if it punches up the color.) 

In any case, Let’s Make Ramen imparts recipes for every component you’d want for your bowl of ramen — how to make the jammy egg, seasoned oils, broths, meats…it’s all in this book!

I’m a fan.

Christie: I can see Rhoda and Major Despard discovering ramen on their travels and taking the recipes back to England when they settled down in Much Deeping.