05/30/09

Omelette with peas

Kamaboko

Vinegared shredded carrots

Strawberries

Onigiri

厚焼き卵

カマボコ

千切り人参の酢もの

イチゴ

おにぎり

05/28/09

05/27/09

Grilled salmon

Sautéed ground pork, peppers & soybeans

Cucumbers & tomatoes

Cherries

Rice & umeboshi

焼きジャケ

豚ひき肉そぼろ

きゅうり＆トマト

さくらんぼ

ご飯＆梅干し

5/23/09

Pasta alla carbonara

Grilled chicken and zucchini

Cherry

Onigiri

カルボナーラ・パスタ

焼き鳥＆ヅキーニー

さくらんぼ

おにぎり

Japanese fried chicken 唐揚げ

Kara-age (Japanese fried chicken)
Cherry tomatoes with sautéed french beans
Strawberries, and a couple of BIG rice balls (with katsuo-bushi - shaved bonito flakes)

My son finished it all, including the french beans, much to my surprise. Must be the peer-pressure at preschool.

Cupcakes at Billy's, New York

Better than Magnolia's. And no line around the block.

Speared strawberries and grapes

For my daughter's snack

娘のおやつです

05/15/09

Mini sausages

Steamed broccoli and carrots

Cherry tomatoes

Blueberries & grapes

Omusubi

タコ型ソーセージ

蒸しブロッコリー＆人参

プチトマト

ブルーベリー＆ぶどう

おむすび

Zaru-soba

It was a nice, warm day here in San Francisco (an anomaly), so we ended it with cold zaru-soba (buckwheat noodles), grilled ahi with miso sauce, and a cold eggplant and tofu salad.

Omusubi おむすび

05/13/09

Omusubi (or onigiri) - triangularly-
formed rice balls - are traditionally a Japanese bento staple. I usually put a small, single bit of something in the middle; these have some leftover shiojake (broiled salted salmon) and ume-boshi (pickled plum), also shown whole on the left.

The first and third have a nori (seaweed) wrapping, and the middle one just has some chopped up takana-zuke (see "Japanese pickles" pic) mixed into the rice for added visual and flavor contrast.

Anpanman bento アンパンマンのキャラ弁

05/13/09

Anpanman + friends are HUGE in Japan and have an incredible following in Japan. My 2-year old is no exception, as was my daughter at that age and as a result, our house is filled with all kinds of collectibles (see background sample).

He and his peeps are made from bread and other types of food (Anpanman is made from anpan, a sweet azuki-filled bread). My friend, Bernie, thinks "Super-bread-man" is a good translation for his name; I agree.

Tsukemono (pickles)

3 types of Japanese pickles: takanazuke (pickled mustard greens), eggplant, and ume-boshi (pickled plum). I bought all of them at the local Japanese grocery store.

Pickles are usually served last in a Japanese meal, along with the miso soup, rice, and green tea.

05/12/09

Grilled salmon
Kamaboko
Steamed asparagus & carrots
Cherry tomatoes

シャケの塩焼き
カマボコ
アウパラ、人参、プチトマト

Fried rice bento

Fried rice made from last night's leftovers

残り物でつくったチャーハン