When Jough and I first started dating, he decided he was going to give up alcohol and red meat for Lent. For 40 days and 40 nights, no alcohol. No red meat. It wasn’t for religious reasons, no – the damn atheist. He took this as an opportunity to better himself, to increase his well being and overall health. In solidarity I decided I was going to give up noodles. Cold turkey. It was difficult, challenging, hard, insert synonym here ____. While it was hard for Jough to give up his vices, and where he is the lover of eggs, noodles are my first love. My raison d’être.

What is a noodle?

noo·dle/ˈno͞odl/

I’m talking about the former, not the latter.

Most cultures do have a form of noodle that they claim as their own, and noodles have been a part of our culinary history for quite some time. While the term noodle does include Italian/American varieties such as spaghetti and other long tubed pasta, I favor the Asian versions more. The ramens, the udons, the sobas, the lo meins, etc.

Look at this guy go:

Aside from the versatility of the noodle (tastes, flavors, dishes), what I love most about them are the different textures associated with each kind. That gummy starchy texture as you slowly bite into an udon, or the slippery crispy smoothness of a broad noodle.

I’d also like to give a quick mention to the ever delicious all encompassing awesomeness that is noodle broth, far superior to the sauce. From the anise-flavored coco-nutty broth of a Laksa all the way to the beefy porky lemongrassy scent of Pho. Oh broth, you make noodles taste so much better.

This guy knows what I’m talking about:

Since Jough and I are eating healthier, the intake of starch and carbohydrates have fallen by the wayside, ergo noodles too. It’s definitely become an occasional delight rather than frequent, but we do travel for good noodle.

Recently we went to Yusho for their Sunday ramen lunch. This is probably one of best ramen dishes I have ever devoured. It went down fast and was extremely satisfying. The broth was rich with flavor and spice, where you could taste the intricacies of the stock that revealed subtle hints of a dashi broth, bonito flavoring, and garlic. While a bit expensive for Sunday brunch, I would go there again for the experience – and the ramen.

Yusho Photo Ops (nom nom nom):

Some people might think I’m crazy for talking about Penny’s Noodles next, but I think this place does a decent job of making fresh noodle dishes. I know this isn’t a real Thai restaurant, and I wouldn’t go there for something authentic, but they put out some good tasting food. Their Hot Pepper Noodle dish is to die for. You heard me right. To-die-for. I don’t know why this recipe works for me, but it does. Maybe it’s the combination of the ingredients (wide rice noodles, egg, onions, red bell pepper, basil, and a dash of ground black pepper on top), but it works remarkable well here. Its simplicity is hard to duplicate but it is by no means a simple dish. I’ve tried to replicate it at home, but the wide Thai rice noodles (same as Pad See Ew) are hard to find outside of the restaurant business and other types of noodles won’t work as well. I guess I’ll have to continue to patronize Penny’s.

This is a fond memory:

A few days ago I was able to venture over to the Slurping Turtle (finally) and try some of their ramen. It was good, but not as good as Yusho or Wasabi.

The Tonkotsu:

Aftermath:

An honorable mention to the Pancit. We got this one in Hawaii (came with offal of some unidentifiable variety):

I hope this post leaves you with a taste for noodles and something wholly better than Nissin Top Ramen or Cup O Noodles.

Vive La Nouille!

I’ve always been a fan of the cardigan (and hoodies too but that’s for another post), and I’m not talking about the Swedish rock band that was ubiquitous during the ’90’s. Just commenting about the simple cardigan, a sweater-like (usually knitted) article of clothing that opens in the front, with or without buttons, zippers, or any other fasteners. Think Mr. Rogers. Or Bernadette on the Big Bang Theory.

Did you know there was a 7th Earl of Cardigan? Well, you do now, and it was he who sported the sweater (modeled after a waistcoat) making it the sensation it is today, and of course, where we get the name. After that the cardigan became the favored sweater for merchants and fisherman, keeping the cold away, but also popularizing it for modern fashion wearers.

I love the versatility of the cardigan. It can be worn with pants, but also more prevalently, skirts and dresses. Is it a sweater, a light jacket, a coverup? Why not all? It can also hide the fat, the fat bulges, and the fat ass without adding extra bulk while simultaneously being fashionable. It’s an essential everyday wardrobe staple.

With autumn coming and that slightly cooler weather (I hope) it’s time to drag the cardigans out of the closet. I’m rather fond of having cardigans in all different shapes, colors, and textiles because you only need a few to round out your wardrobe.

I don’t have any interesting cardigan stories. Nothing of late to share. What I do love, though, is that most clothing sites have a section devoted to the cardigan amongst all other types of sweaters.

All hail the cardigan!