SLURP! A SOCIAL AND CULINARY HISTORY OF RAMEN - JAPAN'S FAVORITE NOODLE SOUP

摘要

At last, our intellectual appetite can be satiated with this first-of-a-kind English scholarly book about "Japan's favorite noodle soup." The study of ramen, a Chinese import to Japan, has often been relegated to the sidelines for the study of foods that conjure a more authentic culinary experience. In Slurp! A Social and Culinary History of Ramen, Barak Kushner provides an entertaining, yet meticulous historical account of the rise of this well-known food item. By doing so, Kushner weaves together multiple strands of East Asian history and culture. Together, the elements presented in his analysis set the stage for the spectacular worldwide success of ramen. Moreover, the theoretical implications of his material go beyond the scope of food consumption by first challenging the widely held myth of Japan as culturally isolated from the rest of Asia. Second, the book addresses the role that Japanese cuisine has played in the formation of national identity. Lastly, it explores how contrasting views opposing past and present (or, alternately, tradition and modernity) intersect in a popular dish.