For The Union-Tribune When you think of ramen, it wouldn’t be surprising if your first image is of a packet or Styrofoam cup of, say, Top Ramen or Maruchan or some other instant brand. Add boiling water and the brothy noodles are ready in minutes. But that’s not ramen’s full story. In fact, ramen is a complex dish that dates back to 14th century Japan, the Muromachi period. According to the Ramen Museum New York, the udon noodles of that time, prepared with a ham-based soup stock with several condiments, were a forerunner of what we know as ramen today. […]
