Tuesday 17 January 2012

Talking about Cup Noodles



I thought I would join in with the social-network conventions by posting pictures of my lunch at work, partly because I want to experience the experience of others who did similar things. 

To make it interesting for myself, I will bore you with the whole process of preparing the cup noodles. 


I came across this brand of cup noodles the first time in a Korean grocery store. The packaging is different and attractive, so I thought I would try out this Thai Tom Yum flavour.

It wasn't the 'less than 5% Fat' that caught my eyes for I only noticed it just now on the picture, it was  the 'Tom Yum  HOT  & SPICY' that made me decide to try it,  it evoked that hot and tinkling sensation in my mouth. 

Out of the attractive box, it's an ordinary looking cup 

It came with a fork and the sachet of sauce that you mix in with the prepared noodles
(I know you are more interested in the text on the book)

The pre soften up stage

After 3 minutes of softening up in hot water, I mixed in the sauce

The box comes handy for this purpose

After 5 minutes of eating it, conveniently the cup was put back in the box and I discarded the whole thing 
My verdict for the noodles is 'there won't be a second time for me'. It doesn't live up the 'hot and spicy' expectation it proclaimed, in fact it wasn't that at all.

What interests me more is the experience of consuming the product i.e. choosing and buying, preparing and eating such thing called Cup Noodles, and have the audience (you) who understand what it is all about.

Cup Noodles is a recent invention originated from the Far East and is now consumed world wide. The connotations of the product is something oriental, quick and easy, economical and filling and is food on-the-go. We also have the shared knowledge of how to prepare it. Just imagine if your great great grandmother came back and saw a Cup Noodle sitting in the cupboard, would the product connote the same things to her as it does to us? And would she know instantly as how to turn it into something edible without reading the instructions?

What I'm trying to say here, and I personally find it interesting is that, consuming Cup Noodles is a cultural practice for it is a product that certain meaning (oriental, quick and economical etc.)  has been ascribed by us. Whilst we have the shared meaning about this product we also have the shared practice of consuming and preparing the product. It is because of the shared understanding of the cup noodles eating culture in which we are the participants of, I am able to share the pictures with you knowing that you would know what it is all about.

So, every time we consume Cup Noodles, we automatically position ourselves as the participants of the Cup Noodles eating culture.

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