Noodle Road: Connecting Asia’s Kitchens

Part travelogue, part history, part epicurean delight, this earthy, tantalizing documentary traces the dispersion of the noodle from its birthplace, some 5,000 years ago, in Shanxi, China, throughout Asia. Beautifully filmed segments show how this dietary staple was adapted in different regions and countries, from Bhutan to Korea, in keeping with the weather, the water and the type of grain that could be raised. We see rural villagers meticulously making noodles at home using rough-hewn presses that could be centuries old, and the hydraulic presses used in bustling, big-city restaurants to manufacture noodles for a multitude. We drop into a deep, ancient well to sample uniquely alkaline water used in making dough so elastic that one kilo of wheat can make two million noodle strands, and we see art in an ancient temple depicting noodles being prepared for the Buddha. Most memorably of all, we see people enjoying bowls of noodles so inviting, we don’t know whether to ask for chopsticks or a diving board. A Peabody Award goes to Noodle Road: Connecting Asia’s Kitchens, a cultural feast.