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October 30, 2014 • mccsokinawa.com
okinawalivingweekly Culture Can Be Tasty
Great American Smokeout
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n many parts of Asia, noodles aren’t only food staples, they also represent longevity, auspicious luck and are eaten on special occasions. Although no one really knows who takes credit for its creation, it is believed that noodles evolved from another Asian food staple— rice. Between the 14th and 18th centuries, the Ryukyu Kingdom was a vassal of the Chinese Empire. During this period, banquets consisting of cuisine known as sapposhi were developed in the Ryukyu court to serve the visiting Chinese envoys. Not surprisingly, this cuisine featured Chinese food and included a variety of noodle dishes. Even after the mainland Japanese Satsuma clan conquered the Ryukyu Islands, the noodle dishes (which were called uchinâ suba) remained as a dish reserved for the court. It wasn’t until after World War II that the rest of the populace got their first taste of suba (Okinawa
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soba was called “suba” by locals until after reversion in 1972). Today, many Okinawans have little difficulty eating Okinawa soba 365 days a year. It is said that the “original” Okinawa soba was topped only with stewed pork and sliced green onions—a style that can still be found in the northern areas of the island. However, if you were to enter any Okinawa Soba shop and ask for “Okinawa soba,” chances are that it will be topped with san-mai-niku (“three layered pork”—a cut of stewed pork similar to a thick slice of bacon flavored with a sweet soy sauce glaze), slices of kamaboko (fish cakes), fried egg strips, and thinly sliced green onions. To experience and learn more about this tasty staple of Okinawan culture, contact MFP-R for their cultural awareness programs (mccsokinawa.com/culturalawareness).
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he American Cancer Society’s annual Great American Smokeout on November 20 encourages its military and civilian personnel to give up smoking for the day. The purpose of the event is to help tobacco users quit for 24 hours with the hope that they will quit forever. This event also raises awareness about the dangers of smoking and the various tools available to assist those who are ready to say sayonara to smoking. Take the pledge to quit smoking by signing up at any MCCS Fitness Center from November 1–20. Anyone taking the pledge gets a free comic book and will be entered in a drawing to win a cash prize. Each cigarette subtracts about six minutes from your life. The good news is that by quitting now, your risk of heart attack and cancer drops by as much as 90 percent. If you are ready to tackle this challenge and take back ownership of your life, contact MCCS Health Promotion at 645-3910.
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