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?

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Yesterday’s bento was a very traditional Japanese one with the exception of the salad!

The rice part was “maze gohan/mixed rice”, that is it contained chunks of chicken, bits of “gobo/burdock roots”, carrot and fresh ginger, the whole seasoned with “shiro goma/white (actually light brown) sesame.

The “tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette” contained chopped “shiso/perilla leaves/ (Rowena, next time you make an omelette, think about it!).
Plenty of lettuce was provided to wrap the tamagoyaki in.
A salad of azuki beans, baby cucumber, corn and “hijiki/sweetened seaweed” and a few olives completed the dish.

As for the salad (seasoned later with dressing I keep at work), it consisted of fresh Shizuoka cress, mini tomatoes, more lettuce and pieces of chickory on a bed of finely chopped vegetables.
The little orange bits you see were my dessert: home-dried “kaki/persimmon”!

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Yesterday’s bento was in the “Open-sandwich” mode again!
Before I explained the “main dish”, the “side dish” in the small round box contained brocoli and balck olives spaghetti salad (the Missus feard I didn’t have enough!).

The ‘main dish” included sticks of cucumber, carrot and ham with chickory and lettuce leaves, orange and red mini tomatoes and a “pot” of dip-dressing I had made myself the ight before for the trout-salmon pie (posting coming soon!). The dressing consisted of fresh cream, a little olive oil, lemon juice, chopped shiso leaves, salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

The bread baked the night before and toasted in the morning was cumin bread!

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Yesterday’s bento was back to “open sandwich bento”!

The “main dish” was a bit complex:
From top left around the clock:
Brocoli, home-made chicken ham, lotus roots (boiled) and “tobikko/flying fish roe” salad.
Scrambled eggs
Avocado salad
Red mini-tomatoes, black olives, cornichons, raw ham on chickory leaves and lemon slice
Finley chopped greens
Persimmon wedges
Lettuce

As for the bread (baked the night before and toasted again in the morning): Black and white sesame and small pieces of processed cheese (eventually melted beyond recognition)

Now, to further answer Barbara and Rowena‘s questions about the Missus’ bread recipe, I discovered some more information (not complete, sorry!) after a lot of arm-twisting (I will have to do a lot of cooking this month,…):
Flour: Normal strong wheat flour 9 volumes (total weight unknown) and rye flour 1 volume (total weight unknown)
Water: unknown quantity
Yeast: name unknown
Olive oile: 1 large spoon
Skimmed Milk Powder: 1 large spoon (new secret unveiled!)
Salt: unknown quantity
Try to work it out!

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Yesterday’s (Today’s will appear tomorrow!) bento was definitely “Japanese” and could have, apart of some details, been fit for a vegetarian’s priorities!

The staple rice section included three different “inari sushi/Sushi in grilled tofu pouches”:

1) Sushi rice (shari) mixed with “tobikko/flying fish roe”.
2) Sushi rice mixed with black and white sesame and “hijiki/sweet seaweed”.
3) Sushi rice mixed with minced Japanese-style cucumber pickles.

The “maki/rolls” are “natto/fermented soy beans” maki. Now, Rowena, these little leaves are actually “shiso/perilla” sprouts! Very popular here in Shizuoka Prefecture!

The “o-yatsu/accompaniment” included on a bed of finely chopped greens, yellow plum tomato wedges, mini red tomatoes, black olives, walnuts (for dessert), lettuce, home-made chicken ham (equivalent of turkey ham, but with chicken), processed cheese and more perilla sprouts!

Frankly speaking I was full for the day, but who am I to complain with such a good half! (I’m receiving a lot of stick with days with my comments on the Missus! LOL)

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Yesterday being a National Holiday (which I spent in bed with a cold &%##$#) this week will see only one bento of note!

The “staple dish” consisted of Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette containing tobikko/Flying Fish roe and finely chopped thin leeks/hosonegi,

The nigiri/rice balls were wrapped in fresh shiso/perilla leaves, either containing furikake/dried Japanese seasoning or o-kkaka/dried bonito shavings and hijiki seaweed.

The Missus had added a few deep-fried renkon/lotus roots. I just love those! Do not bother with whatever junk food under the name of renkon. The real product is so much tastier and healthier!

The “main dish” included fresh cucumber, celery, mini tomatoes, black olives with mayonnaise, kara-age chicken/deep-fried chicken with a little lemon for extra seasoning.
Dessert was fresh figs peeled and cut to size. They are dead cheap in Shizuoka as the Prefecture grows them until very late in the year!