Tag Archives: foodie fiction

Bowls of Fun: Automatic Noodle and Kawaii Cafe Ramen

13 Aug

Automatic Noodle
by Annalee Newitz
Annalee Newitz’s latest novella, Automatic Noodle, is a clever cozy post-apocalytic tale of a group of robots who decide to open up a noodle shop. This a sweet found family story about robots who seek to find their own identity in a postwar California which has separated from the rest of the US and allowed robots limited freedom. Newitz’s creations are all unique; one is described as being octopus like while another appears human from her top half though she has no legs. It is interesting to see the robots explore their world from their programmed human pov and then gradually develop a uniquely robot perspective. Despite its short length it explores interesting concepts of identity and prejudice. With the rise of Ai, it was especially compelling to me, to explore at what point a human created machine might be thought of as a unique individual consciousness. If you enjoy Automatic Noodles, you might also enjoy checking out Newitz’s debut novel Autonomous, which looks at some similar issues with one of the main characters being an indentured robot.

Kawaii Cafe Ramen: Classic, Fun, and Delicious Ramen Meals to Make at Home
by Amy Kimoto-Kahn
After reading Automatic Noodles you will definitely be craving a big bowl of noodles, but if you want to try your hand at making your own rather than stopping by a Shaanxi style BiangBiang noodle shop like in Automatic Noodles or your favorite Pho or Ramen shop, then you will want to check out Amy Kimoto-Kahn’s Kawaii Cafe Ramen. This fun book includes instructions in how to make ramen noodles, a variety of soup bases including miso and tonkotsu as well as how to make a variety of toppings like tamagoyaki (Japanese style omlete), kakuni (braised pork belly), and my family’s favorite ajitsuke tamago (marinated half-cooked eggs). Then of course there are suggestions for complete composed dishes such as a Hawaiian inspired Kulua Pork and Cabbage Ramen, Furikake Salmon Ramen, and even a Good Morning Ramen perfect for breakfast. Rather than having photo illustration there are kawaii manga style drawings of the food some complete with cute smiley faces and adorable kittens wanting to sample the tasty creations. Kimoto-Kahn is a fourth-generation Japanese American who went to Japan to explore ramen in its birthplace as well as getting inspiration from the top Ramen places in her home state of California and old Japanese American cookbooks. My son especially is a huge Ramen fan so I look forward to trying some of these dishes with my family.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Great Mysteries Part 2-Who Let the Dogs (and ducks) Out: For Duck’s Sake and Two Parts, Sugar, One Part Murder

6 Aug

For Duck’s Sake
by Donna Andrews
For Duck’s Sake is the latest in Donna Andrews long running Meg Langslow Mystery Series. Sometimes series when they run a long time can run out of ideas and become boring, but I always find Andrews stories full of charm. This novel certainly has a lot going on it. Meg must help with the town’s dog adoption festival including a doggie parade of the adoptable canines. On top of that her brother and his family are putting in a duck pond on their nearby property (hence the ducks in the title). When the digging for the pond unearths a body, a mystery about both who the body is as well as why they were murdered is added to the mix. Unlike some cozies the body is found early on in the story so if you are a new reader and like your mysteries focused on solving the crime, you will enjoy this story. There are plenty of appearances though of Meg’s quirky family and friends like New Age Maven Rose Noir, kind hearted vet Clarence, and Meg’s cantankerous grandfather for long term series fans to enjoy. All the various plot threads knit together nicely in the end. I’m looking forward to Meg’s next outing in the Winter holiday themed, Five Golden Wings, which will be available in October.

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder
by Valerie Burns
I adored reading Valerie Burn’s latest in her Baker Street Mystery Series that I couldn’t resist going back and reading the first book, Two Parts Sugar, One Parts Mystery. I found this one equally charming and I didn’t find it detrimental to my enjoyment reading out of order. I loved seeing how Maddy went from urban social media influencer to moving to a small town in Michigan near the Great Lakes. Here we see her inheriting her Great Aunt’s home and business along with a gigantic English Mastiff named Baby (his full show name comes from a tribute to Hoboken’s own Frank Sinatra). It was nice knowing reading this one, that despite her heartbreak that caused her to take this plunge, that true love was in her future. I gave up on a long running mystery series that never felt like it progressed in a satisfactory manor a love triangle between the main character and her suitors, so I it was great to see that this series allowed for sufficient character development. The mystery about the death of New Bison’s mayor is intriguing and it is also nice to see another African American amateur detective; for those looking for more diverse, cozy foodie mystery reads you can check out Abby Collette’s Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series and her Books & Biscuits Mystery Series as well as Valerie Wilson Wesley’s A Glimmer of Death and Olivia Matthews’s Spice Isle Bakery Mystery Series.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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