Gourmet Ramen
Top Ramen, Maruchan, and Cup o’ Noodles are the primary food source for a college student and anyone on a budget. Just look at cinematic history and you’ll find this reference to instant soup on the run in the movie The Jerk with actor and writer Steve Martin. The slow, mild-mannered Navin Johnson is the only adopted son of black sharecroppers. He decides early on that his destiny awaits him as he leaves the farm and begins a journey full of hilarity and invention.
Navin (Martin) lives on Cup o’ Noodles throughout the extent of this hilarious madcap of a movie. It’s his favorite food and you really can’t blame him, he is an idiot. Yet, we as the audience love him for his simplicity and good nature.
If you’re in the mood for Top Ramen, I’d suggest picking up a copy of The Book of Ramen: Lowcost Gourmet Meals Using Instant Ramen Noodles by Ron Konzak.
11 Comments, Comment or Ping
Mike
Gourmet ramen is like a rising deficit. An oxymoron. Though, it could be gourmet, but I’ll stick with the Semolina wheat Italian noodles.
I haven’t seen The Jerk, so I’m not going to comment on that. Sounds funny.
And the buy.com linked page says, “Sorry, this product is no longer sold at the Buy.com website.” Just a heads up.
Oct 22nd, 2004
kartooner
I’m partial to either the Shrimp-flavored (which doesn’t taste like shrimp, but it still tickles my taste buds) and Original Top Ramen.
Mike, you should check out The Jerk, I think you would enjoy it. Anyone with an unbiased sense of humor would enjoy it, I think it’s one of Steve Martin’s best movies. In fact, for Christmas I bought my Dad an autographed copy of People (1974 edition) with Steve’s signature on the front.
Oct 22nd, 2004
beto
Ah, ramen… Part of a complete diet of your typical broke, disaffected college student.
The book has its place however - if only to help aforementioned college students feel less miserable and be able to impress their girlfriends without having to set for a mortgage. Plus at $12 it’s quite affordable, like ramen itself. Me like.
I’ll stick to my spinach fettuccini with pesto while I still can afford it, though.
Oct 22nd, 2004
Paul Griffin
I always thought all ramen noodles were a joke (okay, the noodles you get in this country still are), until I went to a ramen restauraunt in Tokyo. They know how to make some good freakin’ ramen in Japan, lemme tell ya.
Fresh broth and noodles make a huge difference in flavor. Put said broth and noodles in a huge bowl (about the size of your average kitchen colander) and add in the ~8 million other things they throw in there (shrimp, fish sausage, veggies, etc), and you’ve got yourself quite a meal. I haven’t looked at ramen quite the same way since…
Oct 22nd, 2004
Seth Thomas Rasmussen
Even just simple additions can make a world of difference. When I was in school, I discovered that sprinkling some grated cheese over your basic beef or chicken flavored noodles adds a delicious(of course, it’s cheese!) taste and some much needed volume to your meal. :)
Oct 22nd, 2004
Dad
It was ‘Cup of Pizza’ that Navin P. Johnson enjoyed in the Jerk…not Cup of Noodles! I would suppose it takes a Jerk-fan professional (like me) to remind you youngings of this.
Oh, he got the Cup of Pizza from the old Cup of Pizza place, not the new one.
Oct 22nd, 2004
Thomas
Oh my god - it seems that I’m living right in the Cockaigne here at the italian riviera!!!
Oct 23rd, 2004
max
I avoided raman in college, but after reading this post and getting fed up with having nothing in the house to eat on the weekends (we go to the grocery store on Sunday evenings), I decided to purchase some raman for the first time. Five for a buck is good enough to experiment with, I say. I’m going to try to sprinkle some cheese on them (from Seth’s above comments). Any other suggestions for toppings?
Oct 25th, 2004
Seth Thomas Rasmussen
Simple seasonings can add some wonderful dimension, as they tend to for most foods.
Oct 25th, 2004
max
Seth, I screw up Kool-Aid… speak to me of your seasonings!
Oct 25th, 2004
kartooner
Max: I’d suggest sprinkling parmesan cheese, paprika or even hot sauce on your Top Ramen. It’s all based on personal preference, but in the past I’ve tried variations of the above and in doing so it’s added a certain “spizazz” to an otherwise salty and muted flavor.
Oct 27th, 2004
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