This Week in Bento: January 4-7, 2011

January 4, 2011

Happy New Year, everyone!  I kicked off 2011 with this "Year of the Rabbit" bento.  It features a rabbit made from kamaboko, rice and "2011" cut out of red pepper.  Then some oscechi ryori (traditional Japanese New Year's foods): in the left corner is daikon and carrot namasu, and in the right corner is kinpura gobo (burdock).  For dessert is a white bean cake, beautifully crafted to look like cherries, that I picked up during our New Year's Day trip to Mitsuwa.

January 6, 2011

Here's a steak and salad bento from later in the week.  The tasty steak slices accompany a simple green salad.  The cute little bottles are filled with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.  The middle container holds sautéed onions and mushrooms to go with the steak, red pepper slices, and medjool dates.  In the back is a super delicious double baked potato featuring gouda cheese and green onions.  Yum!

January 7, 2011

What a difference natural light makes in a photo!  There's so little of it by the time I get time to prepare lunches in the winter months, but this time I was able to make a bento early and get this glowing photo.  This lunch features a great seafood dish that Steve makes: shrimp and leeks with orange muscat vinegar.  It's served with savory polenta cakes.  Finally, there's peppery edamame on one side, and almonds and prunes on the other.  A lovely light lunch!

That's it for this week: short and sweet!  Hope all of you are enjoying this new year.. with so many bentos to come! ^_^  See you next week, bento lovers!