But making it from scratch at home? You may be thinking, “Hell, no.” Local chef (and owner of The National restaurant) Nell Benton says, “Hell, yes.” In Ramen Fusion Cookbook (Penguin Random House, October 2015), she pairs 40 traditional ramen recipes with modern takes on this brothy bombshell.
It sounds a little intimidating (if not impractical, considering the cost-effectiveness of buying prepared restaurant ramen). But before you pull out a bag of Maruchan and fire up the microwave, the straightforward recipes are quite doable (try the easy dashi broth). And the first two sections covering ramen’s background, as well as stocks and broths, are intriguing and handsomely organized.
This is a fun, useful addition to your cookbook shelves. Available at Boswell Book Co. and The National.
