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Prison Ramen: Recipes and Stories from Behind Bars
“These recipes make me smile and laugh out loud with joy, memory, and awe at their total culinary genius. All born from a bond of pure hunger?”—Samuel L. Jackson, from the Foreword
When you’re in prison, a little money in the commissary can mean the difference between a life of flavorless misery and the pleasure of re-creating a taste of childhood. And it starts with Ramen. Filled with contributions from anonymous inmates as well as names you’ll recognize, such as guitarist Slash and actors Danny Trejo, Taryn Manning, and Shia LaBeouf, Prison Ramen is an original collection of inspired Ramen Hit Man Burritos. Sloppy Ramen Joe. Onion Tortilla Ramen Soup. Shawshank Spread. And Orange Chile ramen + white rice + 1 bag pork skins + orange-flavored punch.
Firsthand stories of life in prison, told by each of the contributors, go a long way to explaining the joy of doctoring a bag of Ramen. A joy you can now re-create in the freedom of your own kitchen.
When you’re in prison, a little money in the commissary can mean the difference between a life of flavorless misery and the pleasure of re-creating a taste of childhood. And it starts with Ramen. Filled with contributions from anonymous inmates as well as names you’ll recognize, such as guitarist Slash and actors Danny Trejo, Taryn Manning, and Shia LaBeouf, Prison Ramen is an original collection of inspired Ramen Hit Man Burritos. Sloppy Ramen Joe. Onion Tortilla Ramen Soup. Shawshank Spread. And Orange Chile ramen + white rice + 1 bag pork skins + orange-flavored punch.
Firsthand stories of life in prison, told by each of the contributors, go a long way to explaining the joy of doctoring a bag of Ramen. A joy you can now re-create in the freedom of your own kitchen.
176 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
June 21, 2023
Every single one of the short chapters is punctuated by a really rather awful recipe for ramen. The ingredients hardly vary but the men must make the most of what they have, food and life. The chapters are written by the author, by various famous people and by inmates and provide the truest picture of prison life I have ever read.
The writing might be simple, but there is real emotion and experience behind them. These are not the stories of journalists going under cover, sociologists, former prison warders, ex-prisoners trying to make it as authors or the stories of lifers who've discovered a literary bent and are protesting their injustice through a book. I've read all those books and I enjoy them and learn from them. But they don't make me feel.
This book made me feel. Their lives are awful. The punishment for crime is supposed to be loss of liberty, not being sent to an institution that will rob them of their dignity and punish them in completely inhumane ways without any means of defending themselves. In effect, running a lawless society - a society not subject to the laws that sent them there.
Sociopaths, psychopaths, gang members, the sadly deranged, the elderly, the inadequate, they are all united by their desire to have some small means of self-determination and something better than prison slop to eat. hence Prison Ramen.
It's a stunningly original book. A couple of hours read, if that, but an impression that will stay with me for a long time.
The writing might be simple, but there is real emotion and experience behind them. These are not the stories of journalists going under cover, sociologists, former prison warders, ex-prisoners trying to make it as authors or the stories of lifers who've discovered a literary bent and are protesting their injustice through a book. I've read all those books and I enjoy them and learn from them. But they don't make me feel.
This book made me feel. Their lives are awful. The punishment for crime is supposed to be loss of liberty, not being sent to an institution that will rob them of their dignity and punish them in completely inhumane ways without any means of defending themselves. In effect, running a lawless society - a society not subject to the laws that sent them there.
Sociopaths, psychopaths, gang members, the sadly deranged, the elderly, the inadequate, they are all united by their desire to have some small means of self-determination and something better than prison slop to eat. hence Prison Ramen.
It's a stunningly original book. A couple of hours read, if that, but an impression that will stay with me for a long time.
September 15, 2023
Ramen recipes paired with stories from 'behind the wall' about prisoners having to struggle to survive. Some of the stories are heartbreaking - individuals finding that they must do things they never would choose to do - in an atmosphere of sudden violence (stealing shoes from a fellow prisoner). This book would also be helpful to college students because the recipes are so simple and only require access to a microwave.
November 8, 2015
Chicken Soup for the Soul meets Shawshank Redemption meets Iron Chef with a forward by Samuel L. Jackson
Prison Ramen was an interesting mix. There was more heart than I anticipated. The authors asked a lot of famous people to contribute their stories from behind bars and/or their own Ramen recipe.
The Stories run the gamut: interesting, violent, serious, heartwarming, appalling, and humorous. Each story will open your eyes to an element of life behind bars. I was actually interested in each short story.
The People Those that shared their stories spent anywhere from a few hours to life imprisonment behind bars. You'll hear stories from Slash, Shia LaBeouf, Taryn Manning, Danny Trejo, as well as people the authors know.
Apparently,
The Recipes The ingredients vary, but most are made with whatever could be scrounged up from the commissary. Some ingredients might be brought in by family, bribed from a kitchen worker, or grown in The Yard. You might have to save the ingredients over time and cooking is.... interesting.
Ramen Tamales - Yes, this is really a thing.
Ramen Burger - Something like this...
Ramen-agra - For getting conjugal ready.
Koinonia Ramen - The Stone Soup of Prison Ramen. Basically a group of people throw whatever they have to contribute in a clean garbage bag. From Ramen, to processed meats, to chips or pork rinds, to mayo packets, sriracha, you name it. It all goes in. Then add the hottest tap water you can. Set it aside to "cook" and swell. Open it up and feast together.
There are more recipes than you can imagine. There's even "Parole Cheesecake" and "Ding Dong Cake".
Have some hard boiled eggs to mix in Ramen?
There are a few recipes that aren't Ramen based, such as Prison Hooch called Pruno. Which is a big deal, but very, very, nasty.
Chances are, you won't make most of these recipes, but it might inspire you to create something from almost nothing. The stories are worth a read.
Oh, and ladies beware...
Thank you Netgalley and Workman Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Prison Ramen was an interesting mix. There was more heart than I anticipated. The authors asked a lot of famous people to contribute their stories from behind bars and/or their own Ramen recipe.
The Stories run the gamut: interesting, violent, serious, heartwarming, appalling, and humorous. Each story will open your eyes to an element of life behind bars. I was actually interested in each short story.
The People Those that shared their stories spent anywhere from a few hours to life imprisonment behind bars. You'll hear stories from Slash, Shia LaBeouf, Taryn Manning, Danny Trejo, as well as people the authors know.
Apparently,
The Recipes The ingredients vary, but most are made with whatever could be scrounged up from the commissary. Some ingredients might be brought in by family, bribed from a kitchen worker, or grown in The Yard. You might have to save the ingredients over time and cooking is.... interesting.
Ramen Tamales - Yes, this is really a thing.
Ramen Burger - Something like this...
Ramen-agra - For getting conjugal ready.
Koinonia Ramen - The Stone Soup of Prison Ramen. Basically a group of people throw whatever they have to contribute in a clean garbage bag. From Ramen, to processed meats, to chips or pork rinds, to mayo packets, sriracha, you name it. It all goes in. Then add the hottest tap water you can. Set it aside to "cook" and swell. Open it up and feast together.
There are more recipes than you can imagine. There's even "Parole Cheesecake" and "Ding Dong Cake".
Have some hard boiled eggs to mix in Ramen?
There are a few recipes that aren't Ramen based, such as Prison Hooch called Pruno. Which is a big deal, but very, very, nasty.
Chances are, you won't make most of these recipes, but it might inspire you to create something from almost nothing. The stories are worth a read.
Oh, and ladies beware...
Thank you Netgalley and Workman Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2015
So I happen to know a friend who has been to our local county jail a couple of times. You can imagine how awkward it was for me to ask "Hey, can I ask you some things about jail food because this seems kind of crazy."
Fortunately he agreed, and assured me that Ramen Tamales are an actual thing, as are 'nuts to butts'. I also heard a few stories about jail that are pretty much only funny in retrospect, but still good stories.
What I like about this book is that it's not just a recipe book. A prison recipe book with no context is boring. But the authors give us context in the form of a story before every recipe, Yeah, there are also letters and things from a few celebrities, but it doesn't need them. The stories and recipes stand on their own.
Overall: I'm still scared to give it as a gift for fear of being offensive, BUT I will definitely be buying it for a few high school grads I know who have never been to prison but will most likely be living off Ramen for a couple of years.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
Fortunately he agreed, and assured me that Ramen Tamales are an actual thing, as are 'nuts to butts'. I also heard a few stories about jail that are pretty much only funny in retrospect, but still good stories.
What I like about this book is that it's not just a recipe book. A prison recipe book with no context is boring. But the authors give us context in the form of a story before every recipe, Yeah, there are also letters and things from a few celebrities, but it doesn't need them. The stories and recipes stand on their own.
Overall: I'm still scared to give it as a gift for fear of being offensive, BUT I will definitely be buying it for a few high school grads I know who have never been to prison but will most likely be living off Ramen for a couple of years.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
January 23, 2016
I enjoyed this. I really like cookbooks where the food is cooked in clever ways. I'm impressed how the prisoners figured out how to cook in their cells. It was quite ingenious.
I got some good tips from the book. I also use the soak method to cook my ramen. I heat up water in my electric kettle, pour the boiling water over a bowl of ramen, cover it, let it soak, walk away and come back. For some reason, it never occurred to me to break up the ramen brick, before soaking it. (I even have a culinary degree! What the hell is wrong with me?!) The book told me to do it, so now my ramen takes less time to cook, and is in smaller pieces for when I make ramelets (ramen omelets).
There's more recipes than just ramen in the book. I have drank a slight variation on the Belushi coffee. (I used mocha salted caramel creamer, cause that's what I had. Maybe more of a Jim than a John Belushi) It does work on perking you the hell up. You feel bad or sleepy, make a Belushi. You'll feel better about life!
I got some good tips from the book. I also use the soak method to cook my ramen. I heat up water in my electric kettle, pour the boiling water over a bowl of ramen, cover it, let it soak, walk away and come back. For some reason, it never occurred to me to break up the ramen brick, before soaking it. (I even have a culinary degree! What the hell is wrong with me?!) The book told me to do it, so now my ramen takes less time to cook, and is in smaller pieces for when I make ramelets (ramen omelets).
There's more recipes than just ramen in the book. I have drank a slight variation on the Belushi coffee. (I used mocha salted caramel creamer, cause that's what I had. Maybe more of a Jim than a John Belushi) It does work on perking you the hell up. You feel bad or sleepy, make a Belushi. You'll feel better about life!
October 26, 2017
Review - Prison Ramen - 5 out of 5 stars You might ask what the hecks wrong with me; managing to review two books in as many days, after months of nothing. Well, part of that is down to Prison Ramen being structured in an easy, bite-sized way.
These short stories are, for the most part, each an important life lesson and an eye opener as to how cheap life can really be in some of the American prisons. One of the two-pagers is a section from a film script, but mostly these are real accounts. Some are snippets of the joy that people manage to find in the most adverse situations (the makeshift birthday cake was inventive) but a lot of them are melancholy and one particularly made my heart hang heavy.
Not a book to be read if you want escapism (deliberate pun there) or entertainment, but some real thoughts that... you never know... might stop someone from doing something stupid someday... because some of these pages are heartbreaking.
I leave you with one of the recipes which is worth keeping in your arsenal... The Belushi... useful also for diabetics on a serious sugar crash, and similar is taught to us in First Aid.
Lifesaving Coffee
Once at the L.A.County jail, I saw a man lying on the floor, shivering and sweating like crazy. You could tell he was a big-time addict by looking at his arms. Another inmate brought him this special drink - the Belushi. About 30 minutes later, after finishing it, he was calm and composed enough to walk over and thank the man.
I asked the lifesaving coffee maker why he called it a Belushi. He explained that John Belushi was a great comedian who died of a drug overdose. I guess having a sanity-saving, sugar filled coffee drink named after you isn't a bad way to be remembered. It's loaded with sugar and helps with the symptoms of heroine detoxing.
*) 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
*) 1 tablespoon sugar
*) 3 tablespoons French vanilla creamer
*) 1 cup boiling water
*) 1/2 full-size (52 gram) or 1 miniature Milky Way bar
Place coffee in large mug. Add the sugar and creamer. Add the water and stir well. Then add the Milky Way and drink immediately while the candy bar melts.
These short stories are, for the most part, each an important life lesson and an eye opener as to how cheap life can really be in some of the American prisons. One of the two-pagers is a section from a film script, but mostly these are real accounts. Some are snippets of the joy that people manage to find in the most adverse situations (the makeshift birthday cake was inventive) but a lot of them are melancholy and one particularly made my heart hang heavy.
Not a book to be read if you want escapism (deliberate pun there) or entertainment, but some real thoughts that... you never know... might stop someone from doing something stupid someday... because some of these pages are heartbreaking.
I leave you with one of the recipes which is worth keeping in your arsenal... The Belushi... useful also for diabetics on a serious sugar crash, and similar is taught to us in First Aid.
Lifesaving Coffee
Once at the L.A.County jail, I saw a man lying on the floor, shivering and sweating like crazy. You could tell he was a big-time addict by looking at his arms. Another inmate brought him this special drink - the Belushi. About 30 minutes later, after finishing it, he was calm and composed enough to walk over and thank the man.
I asked the lifesaving coffee maker why he called it a Belushi. He explained that John Belushi was a great comedian who died of a drug overdose. I guess having a sanity-saving, sugar filled coffee drink named after you isn't a bad way to be remembered. It's loaded with sugar and helps with the symptoms of heroine detoxing.
*) 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
*) 1 tablespoon sugar
*) 3 tablespoons French vanilla creamer
*) 1 cup boiling water
*) 1/2 full-size (52 gram) or 1 miniature Milky Way bar
Place coffee in large mug. Add the sugar and creamer. Add the water and stir well. Then add the Milky Way and drink immediately while the candy bar melts.
March 4, 2016
A cookbook for ramen and ways to improve on the instant noodles would have been a novelty read, except this book also contains stories and anecdotes from those who spent time behind bars, and those together make an interesting combination (much like the recipes featured) that works. The title and idea behind the book caught my attention. I have little interest in innovative ways to make ramen, but I was intrigued about the stories. The anecdotes are mainly from the 2 co-authors, but there are stories from celebrities, including Samuel L. Jackson, Danny Trejo, and others. The stories are kept bite-size, no more than a page, only a few times maybe another page or 2. Each story contains some aspect of prison life, captured candidly and compellingly. I wouldn't know if they were exaggerated or made up, but some of things are incredible to read about. It's a whole other world in prison. There are some pretty clever ways to make the most of their situation or outsmart the prison guards (like transferring notes from a prison to another). A good amount of work went into this book to present the stories and recipes in a way that showcases them. Each story is a lesson learned and paired with a recipe that matches the story. The colors, font, and designs all go together with the jail theme. The recipes are interesting to look at in their innovativeness--who'd have thought to try those combinations but desperate times and limited resources really force people to be creative. There are a few non-ramen recipes that show some of that same innovativeness. Quick read!
April 1, 2016
I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
What a completely original idea for a cookbook...although I wouldn't necessarily categorize it one. It's a pleasing mixture of very raw prison stories and real ramen recipes. The recipes tend to have ingredients I wouldn't normally buy or eat (vienna sausages, pork rinds, etc), but some of them did sound okay.
I think the real value in this book can be seen by those of us that have never been unfortunate (or stupid) enough to end up in prison. It's a very detailed glimpse of life in the prison system...and maybe a few lunch ideas as well.
What a completely original idea for a cookbook...although I wouldn't necessarily categorize it one. It's a pleasing mixture of very raw prison stories and real ramen recipes. The recipes tend to have ingredients I wouldn't normally buy or eat (vienna sausages, pork rinds, etc), but some of them did sound okay.
I think the real value in this book can be seen by those of us that have never been unfortunate (or stupid) enough to end up in prison. It's a very detailed glimpse of life in the prison system...and maybe a few lunch ideas as well.
September 30, 2021
3.5 on the blog.
This book isn't really a cookbook. The ramen recipes were all very similar, and became pretty redundant after the first few. What made me keep reading this book were the unique personal stories of the prison inmates. The difference between me giving this title four stars 3.5 on the blog, and three stars 3.5 on the blog was the rudimentary writing. The stories needed to be a little more interesting to read above just the subject matter.
I did enjoy reading it as a book I could pick up randomly and read a little bit at a time.
This book isn't really a cookbook. The ramen recipes were all very similar, and became pretty redundant after the first few. What made me keep reading this book were the unique personal stories of the prison inmates. The difference between me giving this title four stars 3.5 on the blog, and three stars 3.5 on the blog was the rudimentary writing. The stories needed to be a little more interesting to read above just the subject matter.
I did enjoy reading it as a book I could pick up randomly and read a little bit at a time.
September 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this book a lot. Not only is it a cookbook full of interesting and creative recipes, but it's a book filled with stories of truth and horror of our crappy prison system in this country. I appreciate Goose sharing his stories and experiences. It made me sad for all prison inmates in this country who get treated like dirt and who suffer in a system that does nothing to keep them safe or help them rehabilitate their lives. It's a poor refection on the state she inmates get more guidance, protection, and help from one another than they get from the people who are SUPPOSED to be doing those things.
I'm actually planning to try a handful of these recipes because a lot of them sound pretty delicious. I read nearly every single recipe while reading this book because I was impressed with the inventiveness with ingredients and ways to prepare them.
I think anyone who likes to cook should read this book not only for the truth that lies within it's pages, but also for the appreciation of creative cooking creations.
I'm actually planning to try a handful of these recipes because a lot of them sound pretty delicious. I read nearly every single recipe while reading this book because I was impressed with the inventiveness with ingredients and ways to prepare them.
I think anyone who likes to cook should read this book not only for the truth that lies within it's pages, but also for the appreciation of creative cooking creations.
March 6, 2016
The foreword of this book written by Samuel L. Jackson was beautifully written.I just want to point out while it was interesting hearing stories from celebrities Gustove "Goose" Alvarez wrote his stories in such a amazing way.I love how he had stories for the recipes and some connected you to people he got to know along the way.I really enjoyed rotten pig because it the lesson behind it and loved the introduction Alvarez wrote and how knowledgeable the book was about life behind bars.
January 23, 2018
This book is full of anecdotes and recipes using ingredients the prisoners had actual access to. It pulls no punches when talking about the violence going on in a prison. There are several celebrity anecdotes as well.
My favorite recipe is the tea that uses cough drops. I'm going to have to try that one!
Ultimately, this book made me a little depressed having to face the reality of those behind bars, but I still recommend it.
My favorite recipe is the tea that uses cough drops. I'm going to have to try that one!
Ultimately, this book made me a little depressed having to face the reality of those behind bars, but I still recommend it.
November 16, 2018
I actually really enjoyed the intelligent voices and stories shared throughout this book. I would recommend this to Latinx people who know a little about prison life because your 'uncle' went to jail for a few. Interesting way that they make ramen into different meals but it definitely sounded yucky haha.
February 17, 2017
I am not a fan of Ramen Noodles at all but was so curious I had to get this book. It really amazes me the ingenuity that went into creating all these recipes from just prison food. I would recommend this book to anyone who can stomach those noodles LOL!
June 20, 2017
This book might be touted as a Ramen recipe book, but I propose, it's a book of recipes for life's "lemonade". A light read, despite the heavy experiences. Gifting this to a mouthy middle schooler, who thinks Scared Straight is fake, might make for a timely reality check.
March 8, 2017
4 Stars for the stories. 2 Stars for the recipes. They are legit and very creative, but I won't be making them. (Pan American Branch's summer reading staff pick.)
December 14, 2018
This interesting book combines the ramen-inspired recipes from the prison and the bittersweet stories from behind the bars - and it makes for a fascinating read.
4 stars go for the cooking issues - while I love ramen quite a lot, I would probably puke intensively because of some of the recipes! But this is just me being a high-maintenance ninny, because this is not the fault of the recipes by any means - after all, it takes a lot of creativity to try to cook with the very, very limited sources when in the prison.
But the look behind the bars is worth of your high-tea money here - I was touched deeply by how many humanity is packed within the shared meal, however bizarre the recipe for it is. How hard the prison life is (and don´t get me wrong, I am all in for the freedom limited for the serious criminals! But sometimes the punishment is too hard for simply being in the wrong place on the wrong time.), how heart-wrenching some of the fates are. The prison time is a time between the wolf and the dog, so to say - but a simple act of kindness, a simple meal shared can make a difference, even a miracle.
Read this for the deep humanity inside this book. You will not regret it.
4 stars go for the cooking issues - while I love ramen quite a lot, I would probably puke intensively because of some of the recipes! But this is just me being a high-maintenance ninny, because this is not the fault of the recipes by any means - after all, it takes a lot of creativity to try to cook with the very, very limited sources when in the prison.
But the look behind the bars is worth of your high-tea money here - I was touched deeply by how many humanity is packed within the shared meal, however bizarre the recipe for it is. How hard the prison life is (and don´t get me wrong, I am all in for the freedom limited for the serious criminals! But sometimes the punishment is too hard for simply being in the wrong place on the wrong time.), how heart-wrenching some of the fates are. The prison time is a time between the wolf and the dog, so to say - but a simple act of kindness, a simple meal shared can make a difference, even a miracle.
Read this for the deep humanity inside this book. You will not regret it.
November 8, 2015
I was given an electronic copy by Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
While an inhabitant of the California Institution for Men in Chino, a race riot and fire prompted author Gustavo "Goose" Alvarez to write this book with the help of his friend, actor Clifton Collins, Jr. The book is filled with inventive recipes separated by interesting stories about life in prison, allowing the reader to get to know the person behind the recipes. Teenagers and college students, as well as those on a limited budget, will enjoy trying recipes such as Onion Tortilla Ramen Soup and Keep It Fresh Ramen. I like the fact that the stories between the recipes do not sugarcoat the author's time in prison; rather, the author uses his experiences to show how food can bring even the most unlikely individuals together. Celebrity recollections of incarceration dot the pages, adding an interesting touch. From sandwiches, to soups, to salads, and even to burritos, Prison Ramen is guaranteed to make readers look at that block of noodles in a new light.
While an inhabitant of the California Institution for Men in Chino, a race riot and fire prompted author Gustavo "Goose" Alvarez to write this book with the help of his friend, actor Clifton Collins, Jr. The book is filled with inventive recipes separated by interesting stories about life in prison, allowing the reader to get to know the person behind the recipes. Teenagers and college students, as well as those on a limited budget, will enjoy trying recipes such as Onion Tortilla Ramen Soup and Keep It Fresh Ramen. I like the fact that the stories between the recipes do not sugarcoat the author's time in prison; rather, the author uses his experiences to show how food can bring even the most unlikely individuals together. Celebrity recollections of incarceration dot the pages, adding an interesting touch. From sandwiches, to soups, to salads, and even to burritos, Prison Ramen is guaranteed to make readers look at that block of noodles in a new light.
August 20, 2018
I'd rate Collins and Alvarez's Prison Ramen: Recipes and Stories from Behind Bars a solid 3 1/2 stars. With the exception of "the Balushi," I'm not likely to ever prepare any of the items in this book, but the accounts, insights, and general spirit of the book are such that I'm pleased to have spent a couple of hours devouring it. We all eat, but this really puts food, and the power of access to food, in an entirely new context for me. Many thanks to the authors, and the many, many folks who assisted in seeing their project through to completion. I will never look at ramen, flavored drink powders, or sriracha the same way again.
March 11, 2016
I ran across this book at my local library. Normally I would have never reached for it but since I have a friend incarcerated I thought I will flip through it. This bazaar cookbook of odd mixtures nuked in a microwave was awe-inspiring. The stories of life in prison read better than any fictional story I've read in a long time. Now I have some new questions for my friend...do you really eat stuff like this? Reason 9,781 not to go to prison - I'm a food snob.
June 9, 2016
I came across this little cookbook at the public library. At first I thought it was an odd idea for a cookbook. But once I started reading, it was rather interesting. Alvarez talks about life behind bars and how important food is to the inmates. I was impressed by how creative the inmates are with cooking in prison. The ramen recipes are straight forward and don't require lots of hard to find ingredients. There are also a few recipes for candy and drinks.
June 16, 2020
Fabulous quarantine read; fulfills 2020 Read Harder Challenge by Book Riot.
I never would have read this if it hadn’t been for the challenge. It’s basically a cookbook in which all the recipes are Ramen-based, with narratives from prisoners which explain the recipes’ names. The narratives are engaging - sometimes humorous, sometimes maddening, sometimes heartbreaking. Though it’s very different from what I usually read, I’d recommend it to anyone.
I never would have read this if it hadn’t been for the challenge. It’s basically a cookbook in which all the recipes are Ramen-based, with narratives from prisoners which explain the recipes’ names. The narratives are engaging - sometimes humorous, sometimes maddening, sometimes heartbreaking. Though it’s very different from what I usually read, I’d recommend it to anyone.
November 29, 2020
Wow. I thought this was going to be a silly novelty cookbook but nah. Nice collection of essays about prison life, told from (mostly) authentic perspectives.
It’s fascinating to see all the Amazon reviews for this book that are about the success, or lack thereof, of sending this book to incarcerated friends and family members.
It’s fascinating to see all the Amazon reviews for this book that are about the success, or lack thereof, of sending this book to incarcerated friends and family members.
July 22, 2016
I brought this book home since my son is learning to cook, and I want him to be far beyond ramen noodles by the time he gets to college and life on his own.
We both read it (he's 13) and loved it, very eye-opening for both with some very interesting ramen combinations.
We both read it (he's 13) and loved it, very eye-opening for both with some very interesting ramen combinations.
September 1, 2016
Surprisingly good. I read all of this in a matter of a few hours, but the stories and the recipes were all quite interesting. If you're looking for a book to keep you entertained for a few hours as well as new ways to cook up some ramen noodles, then I suggest that you try this book out.
December 28, 2015
Honest and fairly upbeat memoir about prison life told through recipes that you can make from commissary food. If you were completely fascinated by Chang's peacakes in OINTB, this one is for you.
May 25, 2016
What a great concept, a prison story told with ramen recipes!
September 1, 2016
Great recipes and awesome stories.
October 31, 2016
Loved this concept, the whole book, and all the recipes. No, I'm not going to make them (though more than one DID seem oddly tempting), but I did read every one!
February 26, 2017
Quick, interesting read. Tons of great prison stories, focused on the day to day aspects. The recipes are sort of ridiculous but fun to read, ramen served in ways you could not believe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews