First....a very late "Happy Birthday" to my dear husband! He is thirty~*$bla-bla. Not so old, but closer to 40 than 30--whew!
I surprised him by fulfilling a request he has had since we moved back from Japan. Learn to cook Ramen. This isn't your freeze-dried smack ramen that we all have in "food storage", but the real deal. Great broth, al dente noodles, and fresh veggies topped with sliced cha-shu (pork roast) and appealing to the eyes and mouth. Lucky for him, I have an amazing Japanese friend here that could do just that (She is truly an amazing cook and friend). Ramen really isn't complicated, but it was nice to learn the "traditional" ingredients and method as well as where to purchase the items. I also made a trip down to Soho with some girlfriends and they helped me pick him up some new "Ramen" bowls and chopsticks.
He wasted no time putting it to use...we had the best waffles for breakfast and great sandwiches for lunch. Since then we've already put some serious mileage on the waffle-maker. It is fantastic!