This morning, my wife unwillingly accepted my suggestion to post a photo of our son's bento today.
今朝、妻は今日の息子の弁当の写真を載せることに嫌々同意しました。
She said it was not a very good example because of the absence of greens (boiled asparagus or something) or cherry tomatoes. She added that it was not colorful because she didn't include store-bought frozen food (okazu in small, colorful cups).
緑（茹でたアスパラガスなど）やミニトマトがないので、あまりいい例ではないと言ってました。また、市販の冷凍食品（小さなカラフルなカップに入ったおかず）が入っていないので、カラフルではないとも言ってました。
She also made two onigiri (rice balls) that my son could have on his way back. My son needs snacks like them because he gets back home around eight o'clock in the evening.
息子が帰りの途中で食べれるようおにぎりも二個作りました。息子は午後８時頃に家に帰ってくるので、このような軽食が必要です。
I will show you a better example next time!
今度はもっといい例を載せます！
I am grateful to your wife for letting us see this. I am also happy that you told us how she evaluates her own creation.
ReplyDeleteIt helps me to understand better how Japanese understand these things.
Nice post :)
Arthur3030: She also said that yesterday's katsudon bento was better.
ReplyDeleteI hope she will come up with a better bento and will be willing to let me show it in my blog.
Hiroyuki-san,
ReplyDeleteDespite her worries, it is still a healthier bento than the ones I have often packed to take with me to work or university!
I agree with her that it was missing something green, but at the same time, we are only human beings and can only do with what we have. I'm sure that sometime soon, your son's eating habits will make up for it.
I could watch your son's bentos everyday! For us Europeans (even those who cook Japanese regularly) bentos are something magical (even without greens! it's interesting to learn what is important for her in a bento). I'm glad your wife allowed you this photo. More please!
ReplyDeleteCan you share with us the secret filling of the onigiri? They make me hungry!
Ruminating Roy: The lack of greens is kind of accidental. She usually puts some greens in bentos. She also said that a large amount of sauteed onion and cabbage was hiding beneath the pork.
ReplyDeleteSissi: No secret fillings. She said she used two store-bought "mazekomi", shirasu (baby sardine) and takana, like these:
http://hiro-shio.blogspot.jp/2010/03/furikake-etc.html
Ah I found the plums mentioned before. What are those dark grey things seen in front?
ReplyDeleteThere exists a huge competition concerning best looking boxed lunches in Japan. Quite understandable if your wife wants to show perfectly combined Bentos only. Anyhow for westerners it doesn't matter that much, we know nothing about bento and therfore it is perfect enough. Do you know about the new trend to put bento ingredients into a tumbler? I have seen this a few days ago the first time - easier than anything else (but it is called girly...).
Kiki: You mean the okazu at the left bottom? That's thinly sliced pork with cabbage and onion underneath.
ReplyDeleteThe other okazu are store-bought simmered soybeans (top left), walnut tsukudani (previously made by me), rolled omelet with naga negi and dried shrimp in it (middle), frozen ika ten (squid tempura) and katsuo ume on top of rice. Goma shio (sesame seeds and salt) is sprinkled on the rice.
I didn't know about tumbler bento. A quick google search tells me that it was invented by a CanCam (magazine) model, Shizuka Kondo
http://ameblo.jp/shizukakondo/entry-11388349478.html
Well..., I really can't comment on this one. According to one site, this woman lived in Italy for eight years, and it was embarrassing for her to take bento to school. From that experience, she later invented "tumbler lunch".
Tumbler bento! I must say I prefer much more the idea of a normal bento... I have just clicked at the link... Why do so many Japanese women change their beautiful dark hair colour??? What I would give to have dark thick Japanese hair... (I have this discussion with my Japanese female friend all the time). I have noticed in Tokyo some men change the colour too!
ReplyDeleteSorry for this 'beauty' comment ;-)
Sissi: Tumbler bento seem to be popular among some girls only. The CanCam model is a qualified "food coordinator", and creates other beautiful normal bento.
ReplyDeleteAs for hair color, isn't it only human nature wanting to look different from others? I had my hair dyed several times (long time ago).