Posted on 01/06/2007 8:16:44 AM PST by csvset
The inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, has died in Japan, aged 96, of a heart attack.
Mr Ando was born in Taiwan in 1910 and moved to Japan in 1933, founding Nissin Food Products Co after World War II to provide cheap food for the masses.
His most famous product, Cup Noodle, was released in 1971.
Its taste and ease of preparation - adding hot water to dried noodles in a waterproof polystyrene container - have made it popular around the world.
Mr Ando said the inspiration for his product came when he saw people lining up to buy bowls of hot ramen noodle soup at a black market stall during the food shortages after World War II.
Noodles in space
He developed his first instant noodles, Chicken Ramen, in 1958.
The product came out as Japan recovered from the ravages of World War II and began a long period of economic expansion.
It was the masterstroke of providing a waterproof polystyrene container for the noodles that made his Cup Noodle an instant success in 1971.
Nissin has led the global instant noodle industry since then, selling 85.7 billion servings every year, according to Agence France Presse.
His firm also developed a version of Cup Noodle for Japanese astronauts to eat on the space shuttle Discovery in 2005.
In 1999, Mr Ando opened a museum in Osaka devoted to instant noodles.
He retired as Nissin's chairman in 2005.
Japanese newspapers and business people have been paying tribute to Mr Ando.
"He was a self-made man who developed an epoch-making instant noodle product and spread it to all corners of the world," Akio Nomura, chairman of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Kyodo news agency.
Mr Ando remained active until just days before his death, giving a New Year's speech to Nissin employees and having a lunch of Chicken Ramen with company executives.
I just like the stuff.
I eat at least four a week.
Don't laugh until you try this. I put the contents into a bowl, add water with sesame oil, to taste. After cooking I add some Jalapeno peppers, diced. Is this crazy or what?
A sad day. I'll fetch a "Beef" from the freezer. Have it bronzed and hang it from the rear-view mirror of my pick up. Also it kept my chop stick skills up to par. Not bad stuff with Spam either. RIP noodle man...sigh
Ramen.
Now that's funny
IIRC there is a Ramen Noodle Museum in Tokyo. We didn't get to that one, unfortunately. ;o)
I used to eat this stuff in college all the time.
Now, I would suggest taking it out of the styrofoam container and heating it in a microwave safe bowl. I think the styrofoam/microwave combo is dangerous.
Ramen rocks.
In "the old days" many Field Exercises in the army involved heating this stuff up in a canteen cup (with lots of Tabasco). Nice way to warm up!
Regards,
Used to LOVE this stuff when I was a young lass myself, but sadly, the high sodium, high fat food groups no longer work for me. Back when I had the metabolism for them, I used to LOVE throwing a slab of velveeta in the noodle, hot water mix as it was "cooking". By the time the soup was suitably softened, the cheese had added another layer of sodium and goo. OH MAN! Couple that with a Cherry Coke, and them's good eating!
Damm. He's been an important part of my life and I never even knew who he was. Rest well, my friend, you've urned it.
I send ramen to my son in Iraq by the case...lol
Noooooooooooo!
This guy deserves a funeral on the level of Royals!
And here's a link to the museum's official website.Here
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You've met Mr. Aji-No-Moto, I take it ?
The Noodle Soup in the styrofoam cups give me a headache.
You do know that you're not supposed to eat the cup? ;)
Well that 'splains everything ! Thanks! ;)
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