Posted in Bento

お月見弁当 Moon-Viewing Festival

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I went to the Japan-America Society’s annual O-tsukimi festival this year. Since I am a member, the cost was only $20 for entry into the National Arboretum after hours, sake tastings, calligraphy, koto music, obon dancing, raffles, and daifuku. There was an option to purchase bento through JASW (which I found out was done by Tako Grill), but the prices were steep! ($20 per person for members)

Since we were probably going to go out after o-tsukimi, I packed a light bento of four inari-zushi. Each inari is seasoned differently. From left to right: yuzu kosho and homemade carrot-sesame furikake; salted ume paste with homemade radish-bonito furikake; sriracha; roasted red pepper hummus. I also tucked two little Anpanman chocolates into the bento.

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It was nice and brisk outside, warmer than I initially thought it was going to be. I had thought the festival (Oct 3rd) was going to be much cooler, so I didn’t wear my yukata. I enjoyed touring the bonzai gardens, but didn’t see anything that would cause me to drive all the way out to Anacostia again. The pillars featured below were removed from the Capital building’s East side when the recent expansion was done.

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Carte Postale du Japon

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Diana from Bento Concept and her friend KaraChiwie are still traveling around the world with bento. Last month was Indonesia and this month is Japan! Since Japan is the birthplace of bento, Bento Concept chose to make the Japan stop have maki as a requirement. I haven’t made sushi in several years, but this sushi was okay. Everyone is welcome to join the bento-around-the-world adventure!

Top tier: salmon maki and grapes

Bottom tier(s): ingredients for enoki/scallion/shirataki/egg miso

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Mid-September Bento

Nothing extraordinary here, just the continuation of leftover mixed with new sweets.

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Sept 16th – Vegetable Korma with Jalapeno Sausage; Pineapple-Coconut yogurt with “Harvest” (ハーベスト) cookies

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Sept 18th – Green Tea Day! Ochazuke; Matcha Castella (with a thin layer of adzuki on top I think)

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Sept 21st – Summer Corn Chowder; Sesame Chicken
Sept 22nd – More Ochazuke; Zucchini Bread
Sept 23rd – Customized MojoMix Granola; Cup Noodles

I’ve been really lazy recently, but I’m trying to use up what’s in the refrigerator since we are going on Vacation soon!

Carte Postale d’Indonésie

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Diana from Bento Concept and her friend KaraChiwie have started traveling around the world with bento. The first stop was Italy and the next stop is Indonesia (October 5th). Bento Concept has amazingly cute bento. Even though the site is written in French, Diana provides a short English summary at the bottom.  Everyone is welcome to join the bento-around-the-world adventure!

Bottom tier (brown): Egg sheet; baby spinach; tofu noodles cooked with carrot, fish sauce, coconut lime dressing, ginger lime sauce, and soy sauce, Baby elephant made out of konnyaku and cooked in sesame oil with cheese decorations [I personally think the elephant looks like a mouse and my boyfriend said it could be an anteater too].

Top tier (orange): Spicy green beans with shrimp paste, curried chicken skewers, konnyaku and carrot with tofu sesame sauce. Under the noodles is an orange container filled with peanut sauce.

I’ve never been to Indonesia, but my boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend taught there for a while. I didn’t want to do the typical fried rice nasi goreng but wanted to get the range of flavors available in Indonesia. And Indonesia is also famous for elephants.

This was actually my first -ever- attempt at kyaraben キャラ弁 with the little elephant. I have once again proven that though I can come up with creative ideas, my execution (mind to hand) is lacking. How do I solve this problem and become craftier??