Ramen: A (brief) History

I don't believe much thought is put into the food we eat on a daily basis, especially as a college student.  What does it matter, right?  As long as it tastes good and is relatively inexpensive that is all that really matters.  Of course, with the obesity and other health problems plaguing Americans today, a lot of thought should be put into the food we eat.  We should be very conscience of the nutritious value of the food we put into our bodies.  Then why am I offering recipes about ramen?  It's because ramen can be nutritious if you think about how you prepare it, and there is where we need to think a little about it's history.

Ramen dominates a large portion of the Eastern food market.  Japan in particular has exemplified ramen as a form of cultural identification.  However, the noodles originated in China and later entered the Japanese food market.  The Japan Society has an article called "Food History and National Myths" that provides this insight to how ramen was brought into Japanese culture:

"Ramen entered the Japanese market as an inexpensive, accessible, low-class food for itinerant peddlers and poor students – including the Chinese - in the early twentieth century."

Sounds similar to the way Americans utilize ramen noodles in our diet.  They are still an inexpensive food, sometimes thought to only be eaten by lower class, and of course largely consumed by college students.  In America, the primary seller of ramen noodles is the Nissin company who created it's franchise in the 1970s.  Since then, the pre-packaged noodles have become widely popular with Americans as a 'cheap' food.

Although, I have noticed simply through browsing about the dish, ramen is becoming a popular cuisine in restaurants where it is made fresh and in various flavors.  A lot more appealing to me than 30 cent bags!  New York in particular has a large variety of restaurants offering ramen. A top 9 list can be found here:

The Village Voice Blog

New York isn't exclusive though, ramen shops are international and can be found just about anywhere where there is a major city.  It's a view of what more traditional ramen is like.  If you can, I'd suggest checking a place out, and possibly sharing here.  I bet it would be a lot of fun!

Either way, this very condensed history of ramen noodles is something to think about.  I have left out a lot of information, but I am not looking to write a thesis for you to read here!  So, next time you eat your bowl of ramen, whether it's dressed up or not, remember where it came from and how it got to you.