Bento Boxes: Japanese Meals on the Go
by Naomi Kijima
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Book Reviews of Bento Boxes: Japanese Meals on the Go
Book Review: Excellent Bento Lunches
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is both an excellent introduction to bento lunches and a great inspiration for experienced cooks packing bentos for their loved ones. I have made nearly every recipe in this book and I have not been disappointed. Each recipe is made in a small quantity and most can be made in under 30 minutes, making this an excellent cookbook for small households (1-2 people). I have also increased the quantities to adapt the recipes for dinner. There are pictures to accompany each recipe, but for the beginner it might be worthwhile to pick up an additional guide to Japanese cooking. As with anything it might take some experimentation to adjust the recipes to your liking.
I've been running a bento blog for going on 2 years and found the best way to learn about bento is to search web for Japanese bento blogs. Type the word "bento" in hiragana or try photo sites. This book is an excellent accompaniment to that sort of research because it enables you to identify what many of the items are and provides you with a recipe.
My only complaint is the book should have been spiral bound and laminated. My copy is in pretty bad shape from being used so much.
Book Review: the ultimate food porn for anime fans!
Summary: 5 Stars
There is just something about watching animated characters eating animated food- that makes you ravenous ! I don't know what it is about anime like pita ten- or that beginning part of spirited away- but it always makes me crave a bento box or chinese roasted duck! So if you're like me- and want to actually eat the little triangles of rice while you're watching an anime- THIS is the book for you!
My friend who is actually an animator loaned me this book and now i have to get it for myself! EVERY SINGLE recipe has a picture- and every picture a recipe! It is utterly fantastic! It's hard to imagine cooking such small amounts of food however- and i'd rather just open a bento to go store based on all of these wonderful recipes... but it would be great to use these recipes for party ideas etc. there's pickle recipes, rice ball and rice ball wrappers, different kinds of rice recipes.... low fat recipes...sprinkle recipes- similar to the rice sprinkles with nori bits you can buy at the store. there are even "just add water" soup ideas!
great book! it should be in everyone's personal collection!
Book Review: I was looking for a bento box...
Summary: 5 Stars
I was looking for a bento box, it couldn't be pinku (thats japanese for pink) or any girl color. It had to be of 2 or more kotoba (thats japanese for 2 compartments) and had be be chibi (small) sized. And had to be really kawaii (cute). Also It had to be about 10-20 bux. And the seller had to post pics of it first (i wanted to make shure it was kawaii [cute]). And it would have been nice if it came with matching chopstick holder (WITH chopsticks). OH! and it CANNOT have had any cartoon pictures, or been made out of plastic. It has to be made of ceramic, or something like that. Also it would have been nice if it was made in japan. and not in china or corea (korea) or whatever. I had found a bento box similar to the one im describing in e-bay, but it was 1 kotoba, and i didnt want my gohan (rice) to touch my other things (it can get wet and i would not like that, plus 2 compartments looks more kawaii).Thanks to this book, I finally found my chibi kawaii 2 kotoba bento box and my gohan is not wet. Thanks you book!
Book Review: Review from an American Bento-Newbie
Summary: 3 Stars
I stumbled across bento-making late one night when the Cooking Cute website was featured on Yahoo's "The Nine." I made my husband a bento that night, and have been hooked ever since. I found this book and was so excited to find a guide to bento in English. I don't think I've cracked the book more than three times or so. It's just not practical for the Western palate - there are a lot of "strange" foods I haven't dug up the gumption to try. I am a bit more food-adventurous than my husband, who actually has to eat my creations. For the ones I have tried, thank goodness I live in a city with a large Asian community and many ethnic grocery stores to peruse. Some of the ingredients have been a little harder to track down than others. The directions also seem to skip a few steps sometimes, I don't know if this is because it's supposed to be "common sense" or lost in translation, but nothing you can't stumble through. All in all - a beautiful display of food. Eye-appealing if not so to my stomach. :DBook Review: Not for the beginner
Summary: 3 Stars
While most of the recipes can be executed as described, some are missing key steps or oversimplifying. Case in point the directions for tamago. It says to combine the ingredients and make an omelet in a square pan.
What is left out is that you are supposed to pour part of the egg mixture into the pan. As it sets up, fold it in half so it sits on one side of the pan. Then pour more of the egg into the bare part of the pan. When it sets up, roll the previously cooked half back over the newly added side. Repeat the process.
This changes the texture of the finished product as well as the appearance.
Also as a word of warning, these will take a while to make. Some of the lunches presented incorporate 3-4 separate dishes. However you can mix and match so the book is a great resource in that sense. In addition the photos are beautiful and helps to make up what is missing in the directions.