Sorbito para el Alma

Christmas is that time of year when diets just don’t count. With sweets coming from all directions, desserts that are always present, and main dishes that always seem more abundant than necessary, it’s impossible not to indulge. Eating a lot is not just a possibility, it’s almost an unspoken obligation. In many families, Christmas revolves around gifts; in mine, it was always about the food. And the great orchestrator of it all was my grandmother. She cooked everything with precision and limited patience. Her shouts always filled the house, telling us not to change our seats and to be well-dressed, because for her, Christmas was a grand celebration. Only one random member of the family was chosen to prepare the salad, the one task she trusted to someone else, though never without a warning not to ruin her table. It’s been a long time since she’s been with us, and Christmas at home is different now. This year, for the first time, I decided to prepare a dinner for two. Not because the ...

  Instant ramen is one of those quick meals I’ve tried several times. While it’s not the healthiest option, it’s definitely very popular. Its popularity doesn’t just lie in convenience but also in the cultural significance it holds, especially in countries like South Korea and Japan. In recent years, the rise of K-dramas and the Hallyu wave (the spread of Korean pop culture) has played a key role in bringing instant ramen to the global stage. In these Korean series, it’s common to see characters eating ramen in everyday moments, like during breaks, when stressed, or when sharing a meal with friends. These scenes don’t just showcase part of Korea’s food culture, but they’ve also turned instant ramen into a symbol of connection and comfort for K-drama fans worldwide. This has sparked a boom among fans who want to recreate those moments at home with a bowl of ramen. But ramen has deeper roots in Japan, where it began as a popular food before becoming a global phenomenon. While the ins...