World War II was over, but in Japan, lines for a simple bowl of ramen noodles wound down the sidewalk. What Momofuku Ando did next would change food forever. Andrea Wang, author of Watercress (a Newberry honor book and winner of the Caldecott Medal), tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world's most popular foods. "An inspiring story of persistence and an ideal purchase for any collection." School Library Journal, STARRED review 2021 Nutmeg Book Awards Nominee Winner of the 2020 Sakura Award Read Across America Book of the Month, May 2021 Center for Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of 2019 List Smithsonian Magazine '10 Best Children's Books of 2019′ List Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab--a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed. Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting. With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.
Enjoy the first English children’s picture book on how Japan’s ramen noodles were created! Amazingly illustrated, this storybook features a glossary of Japanese terms. This is the first adventure in our series on cool inventions created in Asia. The cute red panda Dao makes history come alive by transporting the kids Emma and Ethan back in time. Together they learn how fantastic creations came to be and zip back to the future! This dynamic journey explores the invention of ramen. This quest is like Chef’s Table meets Back to the Future! The trio begins their trip in 1800’s Japan. They travel from the unpaved streets where pushcart vendors cooked to the growing capital of Tokyo. They witness the rise of instant ramen, Momofuku Ando’s Nissin cup of noodles, and now four star restaurants and celebrity chefs. Along the way, Dao and the kids visit ramen factories and museums and even zoom to outer space! Kids and educators will appreciate the story’s comprehensive scope and Japanese glossary. Since nearly every city has a ramen restaurant, adults and kids will enjoy learning how their favorite noodles are made! Readers will discover how chefs use different broths and ingredients to boost the special flavor of umami (the savory fifth taste) to make delicious noodle soups. Along the way, teachers and librarians will appreciate how students eagerly absorb Japanese food history, culinary culture, and key words. Fans of cooking shows and home cooks will delight in the dynamic artwork which render tasty dishes in mouthwatering color to the point where you can smell the aroma coming off the printed pages. - - - “Perhaps no dish says more about our hunger for Asian food today than ramen. This delightful tale shares the story of how this iconic noodle journeyed from China to worldwide acclaim as both comfort food and instant grub, beloved by bellies of all ages. Thanks for spreading awareness of Asian culture through its delicious cuisine!” — Danielle Chang, Founder of Luckyrice (www.luckyrice.com) and Creator of PBS TV series Lucky Chow “For youngsters, adults and noodle enthusiasts alike, this tale is not to be missed... Whatever your age, The Discovery of Ramen is an experience to whet your appetite with a subject worth savoring.” - Sampan “Travel across the world and back in time with Emma and Ethan as they learn all about the history and tradition of ramen from Dao, an adorable red panda who just happens to be an expert on Asian culture, cuisine, and, of course, all things ramen. Amusing anime-style illustrations show the magical, wide-eyed trio flying over China and Japan, tiptoeing past Taiwan, and floating into outer space on a fun, informative, and savory adventure.” - Foreword magazine “I really enjoyed reading about the history of ramen, and I suspect that whether your kids are already fans of these curly noodles in their various forms or not, this is a book that will definitely tempt their taste buds. I made them for my Kiddo when she was very young, and she’s been a ramen fan ever since.” - Randomly Reading
Everyone has the magic within! Grandpa Tu is famous for his special noodles, and as the emperor's birthday approaches, he teaches his granddaughter, Mei, the family trade. Mei struggles to find the magic needed to make noodles. Ultimately, she finds the magic--and the ability to succeed--within. Mei doesn't just make noodles--her magic noodles in varied shapes and sizes rain down from the sky!NOODLE MAGIC is written in the style of a Chinese folk story, with engaging cultural and community aspects. The family connection that's at the heart of the story has universal appeal. The grandfather and granddaughter work together to accomplish what one could not do alone. Meilo So, whose BRUSH OF THE GODS received four starred reviews, brings the story to life with beautiful, breathtaking illustrations.
“The little girl I was would have been thrilled to encounter Meilan... having found a character who embraces the complexity of being both Chinese and American, I would have been able to echo her words: 'I am not alone.'” —New York Times Book Review by Jean Kwok A family feud before the start of seventh grade propels Meilan from Boston's Chinatown to rural Ohio, where she must tap into her inner strength and sense of justice to make a new place for herself in this resonant debut. Meilan Hua's world is made up of a few key ingredients: her family's beloved matriarch, Nai Nai; the bakery her parents, aunts, and uncles own and run in Boston's Chinatown; and her favorite Chinese fairy tales. After Nai Nai passes, the family has a falling-out that sends Meilan, her parents, and her grieving grandfather on the road in search of a new home. They take a winding path across the country before landing in Redbud, Ohio. Everything in Redbud is the opposite of Chinatown, and Meilan's not quite sure who she is--being renamed at school only makes it worse. She decides she is many Meilans, each inspired by a different Chinese character with the same pronunciation as her name. Sometimes she is Mist, cooling and invisible; other times, she's Basket, carrying her parents' hopes and dreams and her guilt of not living up to them; and occasionally she is bright Blue, the way she feels around her new friend Logan. Meilan keeps her facets separate until an injustice at school shows her the power of bringing her many selves together. The Many Meanings of Meilan, written in stunning prose by Newbery Honor-winning author Andrea Wang, is an exploration of all the things it's possible to grieve, the injustices large and small that make us rage, and the peace that's unlocked when we learn to find home within ourselves.
The end-all-be-all guide to ramen as told by the iconoclastic New Yorker whose unlikely life story led him to open Tokyo’s top ramen shop—featuring 44 recipes! “What Ivan Orkin does not know about noodles is not worth knowing.”—Anthony Bourdain While scores of people line up outside American ramen powerhouses like Momofuku Noodle Bar, chefs and food writers in the know revere Ivan Orkin's traditional Japanese take on ramen. Ivan Ramen chronicles Orkin's journey from dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker to the chef and owner of one of Japan's most-loved ramen restaurants, Ivan Ramen. His passion for ramen is contagious, his story fascinating, and his recipes to-die-for, including the complete, detailed recipe for his signature Shio Ramen, master recipes for the fundamental types of ramen, and some of his most popular ramen variations. Likely the only chef in the world with the knowledge and access to convey such a candid look at Japanese cuisine to a Western audience, Orkin is perfectly positioned to author what will be the ultimate English-language overview on ramen and all of its components. Ivan Ramen will inspire you to forge your own path, give you insight into Japanese culture, and leave you with a deep appreciation for what goes into a seemingly simple bowl of noodles.
A unique and edgy cookbook, Prison Ramen takes readers behind bars with more than 65 ramen recipes and stories of prison life from the inmate/cooks who devised them, including celebrities like Slash from Guns n’ Roses and the actor Shia LaBeouf. Instant ramen is a ubiquitous food, beloved by anyone looking for a cheap, tasty bite—including prisoners, who buy it at the commissary and use it as the building block for all sorts of meals. Think of this as a unique cookbook of ramen hacks. Here’s Ramen Goulash. Black Bean Ramen. Onion Tortilla Ramen Soup. The Jailhouse Hole Burrito. Orange Porkies—chili ramen plus white rice plus ½ bag of pork skins plus orange-flavored punch. Ramen Nuggets. Slash’s J-Walking Ramen (with scallions, Sriracha hot sauce, and minced pork). Coauthors Gustavo “Goose” Alvarez and Clifton Collins Jr. are childhood friends—one an ex-con, now free and living in Mexico, and the other a highly successful Hollywood character actor who’s enlisted friends and celebrities to contribute their recipes and stories. Forget flowery writing about precious, organic ingredients—these stories are a first-person, firsthand look inside prison life, a scared-straight reality to complement the offbeat recipes.
A guide to ramen for the home cook, from the chef behind the beloved shop Otaku Ramen. Sarah Gavigan is otaku. Loosely translated, she's a ramen geek. During her twenty years working in film production and as a music executive in L.A., Gavigan ate her way through the local ramen spots, but upon moving back to her native Nashville, she found she missed the steaming bowls of ramen she used to devour. So she dedicated herself to mastering the oft-secretive but always delicious art of ramen-making and opened her own shop within a few years. An Italian American born and raised in the South, Gavigan is an unlikely otaku. While her knowledge of ramen is rooted in tradition, her methods and philosophies are modern. Though ramen is often shrouded in mystery, Gavigan's 40+ recipes are accessible to the home cook who wants to learn about the cuisine but would sometimes rather make a quick stock in a pressure cooker than labor over a vat of liquid for twenty-four hours. Ramen Otaku strips the mystique from ramen while embracing its history, magic, and rightful place in the American home kitchen.
The Original Art 2017 Exhibit 2017-2018 Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Literature Award Picture Book Honor STARRED REVIEW! "Wang's story thrills but doesn't threaten: Chau's wonderfully vivid watercolors give the monster doe eyes and a round body that make him seem like a cranky, overgrown teddy bear, and Wang shares cultural information about the Chinese New Year with the lightest of touches."—Publishers Weekly starred review Tong tong! The legendary Nian monster has returned at Chinese New Year. With horns, scales, and wide, wicked jaws, Nian is intent on devouring Shanghai, starting with Xingling! The old tricks to keep him away don't work on Nian anymore, but Xingling is clever. Will her quick thinking be enough to save the city from the Nian Monster?
From peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to macaroni and cheese, Valorie Fisher explores the science behind our most delicious dishes! Valorie Fisher dives deep into the science of what we eat and where ingredients come from by exploring what happens behind the scenes of favorite, everyday foods like pizza, honey, milk, maple syrup, vegetable soup, and more! With the help of bold, eye-catching yet simple graphics, inquisitive minds will love discovering what makes popcorn pop, why bread rises, and how bees make honeycomb. With this book peppered with facts like how many eggs a hen lays in a year and how many gallons of sap it takes to make one gallon of syrup, readers will be fascinated by all the amazing things they never knew about the food they eat! Now You Know What You Eat also includes a glossary, and a graphic about the food groups, as well as an introduction to vitamins and minerals. With a growing focus on STEM for this early age group, this book encourages readers to ask their own questions about the world around them, and to fall in love with discovering the answers!
Winner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award and the Washington State Book Award in Biography/Memoir Named One of the Best Books by Asian American Writers by Oprah Daily Longlisted for the PEN Open Book Award The Magical Language of Others is a powerful and aching love story in letters, from mother to daughter. After living in America for over a decade, Eun Ji Koh’s parents return to South Korea for work, leaving fifteen-year-old Eun Ji and her brother behind in California. Overnight, Eun Ji finds herself abandoned and adrift in a world made strange by her mother’s absence. Her mother writes letters in Korean over the years seeking forgiveness and love—letters Eun Ji cannot fully understand until she finds them years later hidden in a box. As Eun Ji translates the letters, she looks to history—her grandmother Jun’s years as a lovesick wife in Daejeon, the loss and destruction her grandmother Kumiko witnessed during the Jeju Island Massacre—and to poetry, as well as her own lived experience to answer questions inside all of us. Where do the stories of our mothers and grandmothers end and ours begin? How do we find words—in Korean, Japanese, English, or any language—to articulate the profound ways that distance can shape love? The Magical Language of Others weaves a profound tale of hard-won selfhood and our deep bonds to family, place, and language, introducing—in Eun Ji Koh—a singular, incandescent voice.
