Today’s bento was definitely on the classic side!

Four big nigiri/rice balls, two them mixed with chopped Japanese-style oickles, the other two for once wrapped inside a band of nori/dry seaweed comtainig each a sweet-style umeboshi/Japanese pickled plum.
Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, chicken dango/meat balls (explained later), cress and mini-tomatoes and home-made pickled daikon.

As for the chicken meatballs, they came in two varieties:
-minced chicken mixed with salt, pepper, spices, Japanese sake and chopped leeks, the whole rolled into black sesame seeds.
-Minced chicken mixed salt, pepper, different spices, Japanese sake, the whole rolled in chopped raw wantan skins.
Both times were then rolled into cornstarch and deep-fried.

As for the salad, it included two kinds of broccoli:

That picture is for Corre who lives in Japan, but does not believe such vegetables are grown in Japan! LOL.
Green Romanesco Broccoli and Violet Broccoli, which turn blue upon being boiled!
On a bed of chopped greens.

Quite a big bento, actually!

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The Missus might have got wind of (I’m sure she hasn’t, LOL) my proposal to Foodbuzz for a Budget Lunch idea as today’s bento was definitely on the budget line!

Both of us had got up late, and the Missus was not in the mood to make anything elaborate. I just told her that sandwiches would be fine.
I’m not one to complain, what with my bulging waist!

Mind you, when I opened the sandwich package, I noticed that my (?) half had added a little twist. She devised the sandwich as a “double-decker” with three pieces of toasted bread.
The first deck consisted of a layer of guacomole-style avocado paste with tobikko/flying fish roe, lettuce, and plenty of smoked salmon.
The second deck was filled with egg salad. It made for a hearty sandwich.

As for my dose of Vitamin C, I was served the usual bed of chopped greens with boiled violet broccoli (grown in Shizuoka), small pieces of violet lettuce (same grower as for the broccoli), cress, mini-tomatoes, and strawberries for dessert.

I was still hungry past 5 p.m. Oh, well…

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Today’s Bento could called “traditional” or “classic”. At least in its concept and presentation, but with a little twist!

The rice is concealed by a topping made of Japanese-style scrambled eggs and a fried mixture of minced chicken and tofu (combined as a paste first, then fried). On the left, a trio of accompaniments: renkon (lotus roots) and tea-smoked chicken ham (bottom), home-made daikon pickles (one plain, the other marinated in umezu/Japanese plum vinegar-middle), and stewed soy bean salad by the Missus’ mother.
The rice dish and the garnish are divided with a line of broiled broccoli.

The little twist was the Missus steamed the rice with green tea powder. If you want to try it (very tasty), sprinkle the rice (in water) with plenty of green tea powder before steaming. Mix the lot only once the rice is properly cooked.

As for the salad, simple affair: On a bed of shredded greens more greens, walnuts and Shizuoka-grown strawberries for dessert1

Had a little problem standing up after that!

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The days are still (relatively at 11 degrees!) cold in Shizuoka City, and the Missus thought of providing me with the right kind of needed calories.

Therefore, I was offered 4 fairly large “nigiri/rice balls” containing “hijiki/sweet seaweed” and white sesame topped with “soft” umeboshi/Japanese pickled plums, the whole wrapped into “shiso/perilla” leaves.

The plain “tamagoyaki/Japanese Omlelette” arrangement drew my attention as she alternated them upwards and sideways.
My compliment only drew a hiding (-“I always present them so!”-“Sorry, girl! I was too hungry to notice it before!”) from my (?) half. LOL

As for the “accompaniment”, I was served, on a bed of chopped greens, home-made “chicken ham” later smoked with tea leaves. I refrained from complimenting as I had my dose of hiding for the day. Then some lettuce (not cut, but hand-shred), cornichons, soft cheese, plum tomatoes, and fruit for dessert: Shizuoka-grown orange, golden kiwi and strawberries.

If I can’t compliment, I can’t complain, either! LOL

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For once, my Tuesday’s Sandwich Bento featured a real sandwich!

The Missus had baked new bread last night. She toasted two slices of them and inserted in between lettuce, fried slices of tuna she had covered with deep-fry powder mix and cornstarch seasoned with pepper and a little salt, and two slices of “renkon/lotus roots” she had fried to a crisp (and seasoned with a little mayonaise).
Af airly big sandwich that took me some time to finish!

The “salad” had enough vitamin C and iron to last me a week:
on a bed of shredded greens, a half egg, brocoli, mini tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, cheese, olives, and orange (I must have missed somthing!) on which I poured dressing from the fridge!
Incidentally I keep not only chopsticks at work, but also a fork, spoon and a knife! LOL

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The weather has unseasonably cold these in Shizuoka. The water outside even froze outside during the night, in a region where it prctically never snows!
The Missus felt I was in the need for a few more body-warming calories!

Consequently she prepared no less than five “nigiri/rice balls”, three containing fried salmon and two mixed with “takuan/pickled daikon” and black sesame. She wrapped each in a large “shiso/perilla” leaf and added some pickled wasabi stems.

As for the “main dish”, she made some fresh “tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette”, fried a few “ika shumai/cutttle fish dumpling” over small lettuce leaves, boild brocli and Brussels sprouts (to which I added dressing at work), Home-made shredded daikon and carrots sweet pickles and a few mini-tomatoes.

Mind you, I still felt hungry in late afternoon!

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Today was Tuesday, the day after Monday, both days when I can expect a bento by the Missus!
She had quite a battle this morning as things seem to drop or fly all the time!

Now, for the main dish, she steamed rice with hijiki/sweet seaweed and Kyo-ninjin/Kyoto-style deep red carrot and a couple of secrets she would not reveal.
She prepared tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette and chicken balls she fried with a seet and sour sauce containing thinly sliced kinkan/kumquats (in season right now/which reminds me I marinated some in vodka last year!) and served with black sesame. Plenty of lettuce and boiled Brussels sprouts.

As for the salad and dessert she included some yellow and violet yams/sweet potatoes salad, a plum tomato, boiled broccoli, shredded vegetables and cress, and finally a couple of “kinkan amani” (“kinkan” for kumquat, “ama” for sweet, “ni” for simmer) prepared by Lojol‘s wife!

Before I left she enquired if I was going to drink tonight (I didn’t last night). When I asked why, she replied she would have to take it in account before preparing dinner.
Stupid question!

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The Missus has decided to expand here bento repertoire and to experiment with design and ingredients!

She devised two types of “nigiri/rice balls”:

Two were wrapped in a thin ham with a pair of mini-asparaguses. I ate them wrapped again inside lettuce provided together in the box.
As for the rice, it had been mixed withn white sesame.

The other two “sandwiched” a slice of seasoned smoked salmon and were wrapped again between two chickory/endive leaves and topped with cresson and capers.

I was provided with some cornichons and yam/sweet potato (yellow and violet) salad with black sesame in lieu of dessrt.

As for the salad dish, it contained a boiled half egg, boiled Brussels sprouts, brocoli and broad beans, cut plum tomatoes on a bed of shredded vegetables, to which I added dressing I keep in the fridge at work!

I certainly don’t mind those changes! LOL

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Yesterday was a National Holiday in Japan, and instead of going to work with a bento, I ended up eating and drinking too much with the Missus at a friend’s home!
I requested for a light bento and was offered the following:

Vegetable quiche leftovers (I cooked it myself yesterday). and plenty o vegetables including yellow cauliflower locally grown, lettuce (local,too), midi tomatoes, cornichons and walnuts.

And the last (toasted) slice of home-baked bread (containing walnuts)!
Simple and ample!

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Yesterday’s bento did not qualify as this year’s first as the Missus refused to let me take a picture of the sandwich she had made!
Today, she came back with a vengeance, concocting a lunch fit for a man’s (or big teenager’s) solid appetite!

She also used a wooden box with a bamboo “curtain” lid for the “maki”/rolls.

I can already hear Rick moaning at the look of those rolls! LOL

The rolls were wrapped in lettuce instead of “nori”/dry seaweed.
The “shari”/sushi rice was mixed with “tobikko”/flying fish roe.
The filling consisted of smoked slamon and Japanese processed cheese with capers for decoration. These rolls were definitely American-sized!

As for the accompaniment the Missus worked hard (she actually threw me out of the kitchen!):
Boiled egg seasoned by leaving it overnight in the coca cola sauce of simmered pork she had made the day before, boiled Brussels sprouts, black olives, cornichons, carrot sticks, chickory/endive leaves, celery sticks (with leaves), Ameera Rubbins tomatoes (as sweet as strawberries!), and mayonnaise/black olives dip.

For dessert, winter mandarine (“mikan”) from her family’s garden!
Pretty full for the whole day, I can guarantee you!

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If I’m not sorely mistaken, this is the last bento concocted by the Missus in 2008.
The next one should be onlie on January 5th!
A “classical” bento by my other half’s standards making use of whatever was in the fridge!

The rice has been the same for some time: white rice steamed with beans (and their juice) and “hijiki/sweet seaweed”. A very lealthy and hearty fare with plenty of calories!

As for the “o-yatsu/accompaniment”, deep-fried “sanma/mackerel pike” that was seasoned with sauce beforehand and complemented with plentyof lemon, cornichons and black olives, plum tomatoes, and on a bed of finely chopped vegetables, boiled brocoli and cauliflower. Very healthy, again!

I had dressing for the salad and mandarine oranges at the office to make it complete!

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The end of the year is always a very hectic time in Japan.
The two of us busy in spite of no university holiday, the Missus prepared a typical, if very simple bento:
On a bed of freshly steamed rice she spread some slices of soft “sha shu/Chinese-style braised pork” she quickly heated again in sweet soy sauce with a few pieces of processed cheese and sprinkled with black sesame. The sauce added welcome tatse to the rice.
One “umeboshi/pikled Japanese plum” and a few cornichons provided the saour balance to the sweetness of the meat.
For greens she included lettuce leaves and plum tomatoes and boiled spinach salad.
The dessert was providedwith plenty of “tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette”
Quite filling actually! And tasty!

One more bento on Monday and then I will post 2008 bento compilation!

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Yes, I worked yesterday on the 25th of December. Chritmas is more a business bonanza than anything else. In any case I’m agnostic!
The Missus made doo with whatever she had in the fridge and some buns she had baked the day before.

The main dish included from bottom clockwise:
Turkey ham bought at the local supermarkert, lettuce leaves to wrap around the turkey, plum tomatoes, brocoli and “tobikko/flying fish roe” spaghetti, first fried then cooled down, processed cheese, black olive and cornichons.

The buns provided with plenty of calories,

as they contained beans.

The dessert, plentiful for once, included cut fresh pear, mini kiwi, “benihoppe/red cheek” strawberry from Izu Peninsula and home-dried persimmon.

Plenty to last until the night out!

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This morning, the Missus said: Don’t take a picture, that bento is not worth it! Apparently her standards have raised since I started introducing her concoctions. LOL.
Well, I still think I should describe it as after all it is everyday food!

The “rice dish” is a favourite of hers: it’s been steamed together with preserved beans and their juice and “hijiki” seaweed (osft sweet type). The technique (one day I promise I will post an article on easy sushi rice preparation!) is to lay the beans and seaweed on top of rice before steaming it and then mix the lot when it is cooked.

The “o-yatsu/accompaniment” is a mixture of all kinds: on a bed of finely chopped vegetables, boiled “renkon/lotus roots” and home-made Chiken Ham (similar to Turkey Ham) salad, half-boiled egg sprinkled with black sesame seeds, plum tomatoes, cornichons, smoked salmon salad adn walnuts (for dessert).

I have no complaints!

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Today’s bento was a “quick fix”. The Missus and I having just come back from a week-end in Yokohama the night before, I was not going to put too much strain on my (whatever) half!

This time bread had to be toasted “regular” bread bought on the way home.
But even so, I must admit that the Missus did her best to come with a well-balanced “open-sandwich” with what was available in the fridge:
(from left centre, clockwise)
Fresh mini-cucumbers on chickory leaves, lettuce leaves, mini-tomatoes, home-made (on the balcony!) dried persimmons for dessert, processed cheese sticks, ham sticks, olives (in the middle), egg salad, avocado salad, smoked salmon with capers and lemon.
Can’t complain., can I?