Formerly "bento," now "dosirak"

Update: The creator of Aidan Bento Society has moved overseas. I now live in Seoul, South Korea.

Since I am no longer at Aidan, this blog cannot continue in its previous form. I'm not sure how or whether I will continue to update this blog, but I wanted to update in case there's anyone who still checks this blog periodically.

Bento menus for May 13-14, 2009

Note: There is no bento scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.

Menu for Wednesday, May 13, 2009:
* Temaki (handroll) bento - due to the popularity of last week's temaki bento, this week will feature another one with a different combination of ingredients (I'm leaning towards smoked salmon).
* Miso soup ball
* Other sides TBD (if there is room to fit other sides!)

Menu for Thursday, May 14, 2009:
* Cheese enchiladas – in either red chile sauce or green tomatillo sauce, TBD
* Beans and rice
* Other sides TBD

Bento #25: Vegetable frittata (05.07.09)

Bento for Thursday, May 7, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Slice of stovetop vegetable frittata (Just Bento recipe; I followed the recipe except I cooked vegetables fresh for the recipe instead of using leftovers): the vegetables are carrots and oyster root, aka salsify (from our CSA), and it's seasoned with rosemary and a little Parmesan cheese.
* Roasted red potatoes
* Pickled red cabbage
* Raw broccoli trees
* Cheese cubes
* Olives and grape tomatoes

Imitation crab salad "recipe"

Here are some guidelines for making the crab salad in today's rainbow handroll bento (the crab salad being the only thing I really made, in contrast to prepared raw ingredients):

Amounts are approximate, for 8 (1/3-1/2 cup) servings (good for handroll in bento)

-About 12 ounces of imitation crab pieces, flaked
-2-3 scallions, finely sliced
-About 1-2 teaspoons ginger root, minced
-Rice vinegar, to taste (several splashes)
-salt and black pepper to taste
-Toasted sesame seeds, to taste
-Sesame oil, to taste (a few drizzles; you don't want it to be too oily).

Mix everything together and chill. It's mayonnaise-free, and therefore good for bento.

Bento #24: Rainbow temaki (handroll) (05.06.09)

Bento for Wednesday, May 6, 2009:

Bento contents:
* California roll in rainbow colors, temaki (handroll) style: imitation crab salad, raw carrot slivers, avocado slices, pickled red cabbage, served with rice (with umeboshi and black sesame seeds for garnish). Squares of nori for wrapping. Soy sauce and wasabi for dipping (not pictured).
* Grape tomatoes
* Takuan and umeboshi
* "instant" Miso soup ball, from Just Bento

Soboro

I thought I'd post a few links for different versions of soboro, the seasoned ground meat "stripe" of today's sanshoku donburi. It can be made with beef, chicken, pork, egg, canned tuna or salmon, probably even tofu - basically any protein. It's really quick and easy to make.

Aside from using it in sanshoku donburi or as a rice topping on its own, it can be used as an onigiri (rice ball) filling, or as a filling for tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), among other things. It keeps in the refrigerator for about a week, and freezes well. (All of this information, and more, can also be found on Maki's Just Bento page, as linked below).

Here are two recipes that I have successfully used:

Basic Meat Soboro from Just Bento

AnnaTheRed's tuna soboro - she also has a recipe for meat soboro elsewhere on her page.

Here's a recipe for chicken soboro; I have made chicken soboro before using Elizabeth Andoh's recipe from Washoku instead.

Finally, I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I'm sure it's good, because it's a Maki recipe:

Just Bento's iri tamago - scrambled eggs for donburi

Bento #23: Sanshoku Donburi (05.05.09)

Bento for Tuesday, May 5, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Sanshoku donburi (3-color rice bowl): Rice topped with (from left to right): corn, beef soboro (a bento staple which there are many recipes for; the recipe that I based it on can be found by clicking here), and spinach seasoned with soy sauce and sesame seeds
***
Today's bento is a simple Japanese classic. Sanshoku donburi is colorful, versatile, and nutritious. It is a bento lunch staple in Japan, particularly for childrens' school lunches. If you're curious, here are a few links to photos of other sanshoku donburi combinations and recipes to try (FYI, I have not tried any of these recipes):

stir-fried gochujang bento from Just Bento Flickr pool

Maki's Bento #18 on Just Bento

photo by Flickr user Blue Lotus

Taste of Zen recipe (chicken, egg, and snowpeas version)

Kitchen Cow's version

Lunchbox #475 from "My Lunch Can Beat Up Your Lunch!"

A sushi version, on Flickr

Bento #22: Mochi tofu nuggets (04.30.09)

Bento for Thursday, April 30, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Mochi tofu nuggets (recipe courtesy Just Bento, here)
* Steamed rice with umeboshi and black sesame seeds
* Oven fries with rosemary, with ketchup provided for dipping (and for the tofu nuggets)
* Spicy miso marinated green asparagus (Just Bento recipe, here)
* Strawberry and pineapple

Bento #21: Salmon patties and asparagus rice (04.29.09)

Bento for Wednesday, April 29, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Salmon patties
* Chicken karaage (or, for J.K., a hard boiled egg)
* Asparagus rice, recipe courtesy Just Bento, here
* Corn and lima beans in rice vinegar dressing
* "instant" miso soup ball (recipe/idea courtesy Just Bento)
* Strawberry

Bento Menus for May 5-7, 2009

As usual, only the main dish is definite. All side dishes subject to last minute change based on availability and price of ingredients.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009:
* Sanshoku soboro bento - exact components TBD
* Some kind of dessert/extra TBD

Wednesday, May 6, 2009:
* California handroll bento – vinegared imitation crab salad, avocado, rice, pickles
* Other sides TBD

Thursday, May 7, 2009:
* Frittata – eggs, potatoes, veggies, cheese – one large slice
* Biscuits or a roll, TBD
* Green salad

Bento #20: Chicken karaage (04.28.09)

Bento for Tuesday, April 28, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Chicken karaage with yuzu shichimi togarashi for sprinkling
* Steamed rice
* Asparagus and carrots
* Japanese pickles - umeboshi and takuan

Bento Menus for April 28-30, 2009

Here are the current menus for this coming week, Tuesday through Thursday. I posted a menu late on Friday, so I'm going to bring the sign-up sheet in to work again tomorrow (Monday) to see if there are any people willing to make a last-minute addition to the list.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009:
* Chicken karaage
* Steamed rice
* Asparagus and carrots
* Japanese pickles

Wednesday, April 29, 2009:
* Salmon patties
* Asparagus rice
* Other side(s) TBD

Thursday, April 30, 2009:
* Mochi tofu nuggets (Just Bento recipe, here)
* Steamed rice
* Other sides TBD

Bento #19: Indian curry with cauliflower pakora and chapathi (04.23.09)

Bento for Thursday, April 23, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Indian vegetable curry
* Homemade chapathi, recipe from the cookbook "Mangoes and Curry Leaves" by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
* Cauliflower pakora, recipe here

Bento #18: Shrimp fried rice (04.22.09)

Bento for Wednesday, April 22, 2009:

Bento contents:
* Shrimp fried rice with Korean red pepper paste (gochujang) and black sesame seeds
* Steamed broccoli
* Mandarin oranges
* Kasugai gummy (melon flavor)

Bento Menus for April 22-23, 2009

Here are the bento menus for this Wednesday, April 22, and Thursday, April 23. Note that there is no Tuesday bento (tomorrow) this week.

April 21, 2009:
Shrimp fried rice
Sides TBD

April 22, 2009:
Indian-style vegetable curry
homemade chapathi
Other vegetable TBD (possibly cauliflower pakora)

No Aidan Bento for April 7-9: Spring Break!

Hope everyone is enjoying their spring break.

Aidan Bento will return on Tuesday, April 14th. Stay tuned for next week's bento menu!

Bento #17: Indian-style vegetable curry (04.02.09)

Bento for Thursday, April 2, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Indian-style potato and vegetable curry
* Homemade chapathi, recipe from the cookbook Mangoes and Curry Leaves by Jeffery Alford and Naomi Duguid

Bento #16: Shrimp and vegetables in black bean sauce (04.01.09)

Bento for Wednesday, April 1, 2009:



Bento contents:
* Stir-fried shrimp in black bean, ginger, and garlic sauce
* Stir-fried broccoli and onions with ginger and garlic
* 2 shumai dumplings (recipe here, courtesy Just Bento - Maki of Just Bento also includes a vegan version in addition to the pork and shrimp version)
* Steamed rice with Lydia's homemade gomashio (sesame salt)

Bento #15: Mini hamburgers (03.31.09)

Bento for Tuesday, March 31, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Mini hamburgers (recipe courtesy Just Bento, here) in doenjang sauce
* Carrot and broccoli kinpira (Just Bento recipe)
* Collard greens seasoned with rice vinegar and soy sauce
* Steamed rice with umeboshi and black sesame seeds

Bento Menus (March 31-April 2)

Preview for next week - sorry, orders have already been filled for these lunches.

Tuesday, March 31st Menu:
* Mini hamburgers (beef and tofu) in doenjang (Korean bean paste) sauce
* Vegetable sides TBD
* Steamed rice

Wednesday, April 2nd Menu:
* Shrimp and veggie stir-fry in black bean sauce
* Steamed rice
* Fruit TBD

Thursday, April 3rd Menu:
* Indian-style potato and vegetable curry
* Another veggie side TBD
* Basmati rice

Bento #14: Blue mac n' cheese (03.26.09)

Bento for Thursday, March 26, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Blue mac n' cheese, with optional hot sauce
* Berebere-spiced sweet potatoes
* Collard greens seasoned with garlic and apple cider vinegar
* Salad greens (in some lunches; not pictured)

(Excuse the poor quality; it was a very gray day today and I had to use the flash)

Bento #13: Herbed root vegetable and white bean turnovers (03.25.09)

Bento for Wednesday, March 25, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Herbed root vegetable and white bean turnovers
* Hard boiled egg
* Salad greens with mandarin orange segments and white sesame seeds; balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing
* Green grapes

Bento #12: Wafu gyoza (03.24.09)

Bento for Tuesday, March 24, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Wafu gyoza (recipe from "Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese home kitchen" by Elizabeth Andoh)
* Stir-fried vegetables: green cabbage, baby corn, carrots, and sweet red pepper, seasoned with soy sauce and a little gochujang
* Steamed white rice with black sesame seeds
* Dipping sauce for the gyoza (in small bottle) - rice vinegar and soy sauce

Bento menus for next week (March 24-26, 2009)

After a week's hiatus, our bento lunches are back! Here are the menus for this coming week. Orders will close tomorrow at noon because of the half-day for the inservice, so get your orders in (and your boxes, if you can) before then! A hard copy of this menu, with a sign-up sheet, is on the table in the upstairs kitchen at school.

Tuesday, March 24th Menu:
* Wafu gyoza - Japanese-style steam-fried pork and vegetable dumplings with wakame seaweed
* Stir-fried vegetables TBD
* Steamed rice

Wednesday, March 25th Menu:
* Herbed root vegetable and white bean turnovers
* Hard boiled egg
* Salad greens
* Fruit TBD

Thursday, March 26th Menu:
* Blue mac n' cheese - Pasta in a blue cheese-spiked white sauce, topped with minced green onion and chopped walnuts
* Berebere spiced sweet potatoes
* Collard greens
* Grapes

Mr. Chen's Challenge

For Bento Society members:

I have mentioned this idea to some members but wanted to blog about this: the idea of having you submit your favorite dishes from Mr. Chen's for me to make a version of for a future bento lunch. I realized that I haven't included a Chinese item in your bento lunches yet and this would be one way for me to do that.

One word of caution, though: I've heard that stir-fried rice noodles do not necessarily hold up well in bento - they tend to dry out. I am up for trying any stir-fried dishes served with rice, though!

Let me know what you would like me to make, whether in person or by leaving a comment on this blog or a note in my mailbox at school.

No Aidan Bento for Week of March 16 - 20, 2009

Notice to Bento Society members:

Next week, Aidan Bento Society will be taking a week off. I will post the menu for the following week next Wednesday, March 18th.

I will also post a sign on the shelf in the upstairs kitchen (behind the table) to make sure that everyone receives notice of this.

In the meantime, I invite you to think about my idea for a Mr. Chen's Challenge!

Thank you for your participation in the society so far! I hope that you have been enjoying your meals.

~Jamie

Bento #11: Yaki onigiri and tamagoyaki (03.11.09)

Obento for Wednesday, March 11, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Yaki onigiri - "grilled" (actually pan-fried this time) rice balls (seasoned with soy sauce - basically followed notes at Lunch in a Box, here - mine were not pre-frozen). Some are flavored with miso, others with soy sauce
* Umeboshi (for a description of potential health benefits, see here)
* Tamagomaki - rolled sweetened omelette
* Hijiki and carrots - recipe here
* In some lunches, as pictured: Japanese-style potato salad and raw green pepper slices
* In others: stir-fried green cabbage with soy sauce, sesame oil, and black sesame seeds

Bento #10: Pork katsu and potato salad (03.10.09)

Obento for Tuesday, March 10th, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Pork katsu (breaded pork cutlet) on a bed of shredded green cabbage
* Bulldog sauce (to go with the katsu)
* Japanese-style potato salad with mustard (recipe loosely based on Maki's here at Just Bento - no tofu mayonnaise, no cucumber, and I substituted green onions for white onion)
* Steamed short-grain white rice, hinomaru style, with black sesame seeds

Bento #9: Mini Veggie Frittatas (03.05.09)

Obento for Thursday March 5, 2009:


Bento contents:
* Mini vegetable frittatas (I based it on this recipe - really only for the method; the ingredients were my combination)
* Roasted root vegetable medley from CSA (new potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, winter squash)
* Salad greens with soy-sesame-rice vinegar-honey-olive oil dressing (dressing not pictured)
* Red grapes

Bento days in Japan

In bento-related news...

Here is an interesting article, published in the Asahi Shimbun a few days ago, on 'bento days' - a tradition that has been growing in Japanese schools, from elementary to university:

'Bento day' catching on with schools, kids

On bento days, students prepare their own bento lunches, with varying degrees of help from their families. Advocates of such programs believe that participation encourages family togetherness, incurs self-reliance in the students, and contributes to healthier eating habits.

*Menu edit for tomorrow*

I wanted to give everyone who ordered a lunch for tomorrow (and happens to read this blog between now and then) a heads-up that I have altered the menu somewhat. The main will be the same, but instead of Spanish rice (which I think made the whole meal a little too heavy) we will be having a roasted root vegetable and squash medley.

Here is the new menu for tomorrow, Thursday March 5th (changes in bold):

* Mini veggie frittatas (2)
* Roasted root vegetable and squash medley
* Salad greens
* Orange slices

This first week of the Aidan Bento Society has been going well! Thank you for your feedback. I'm glad to hear that you've all been enjoying your lunches so far.

Bento #8: Tuna Tofu Miso Mini Burgers (03.04.09)

Obento for March 4, 2009 (picture is of N.D.'s bento, in her Laptop Lunchbox):


Bento contents:
* Tuna tofu miso mini burgers (Just Bento recipe - recipe here)
* Steamed white rice
* Carrot kinpira, again, made fresh this morning (for recipe, see Bento #7)
* Steamed broccoli

Bento menu for Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Here is the currently scheduled menu for March 10 and 11 (no bento delivery on Thursday due to conferences). Main items marked in boldface type. You can sign up in the upstairs kitchen from this Wednesday until Friday (I will be taking all bento boxes home with me at 3:00 pm on Friday).

Tuesday, March 10th Menu:
Pork katsu - breaded pork cutlet
White rice
Greens, TBD
Other vegetable TBD

Wednesday, March 11th Menu:
Yaki onigiri - crispy rice balls with filling - either seasoned salmon or Japanese pickled plum (umeboshi)
Vegetable sides TBD

I will post the menu and sign-up sheet in the upstairs kitchen tomorrow (Wednesday).

Bento #7: Teriyaki chicken with vegetables (03.03.09)

First bento for the Aidan Bento Society, delivered earlier today (S.C.'s bento is pictured):



Bento contents:
* Bite-size chicken teriyaki (from Just Bento, recipe here)
* Braised baby bokchoy
* Carrot kinpira, just a little spicy (from Just Bento, recipe here)
* Steamed brown rice

Bento boxes to browse

For the budding bento enthusiasts out there curious about what's out there in terms of bento boxes (i.e. other than the Container Store offerings), here is a page that might be fun to peruse (on this lovely snow day, or any day):

I Love Obento

Here's a sample single tier box from their site:


And a two-tier box (you pack the rice in one layer and the sides in the other):


One of my favorite stores in Tokyo is Tokyu Hands. I probably spent the good part of an hour in their bento box aisle(s) last time I was there, in June 2008.

If you're curious, here are some photos of Tokyu Hands and other bento products, from Flickr (some of the pictures have notes):

Bento-making tools
Kits for cutting shapes out of nori (the toasted seaweed used to make rolled sushi)

And here's another cool site (I know, so many sites...):

Bento Business

It's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer variety of supplies and boxes out there.

Snow Day: Message about tomorrow's bento lunches

For Bento Society Members:

Since school was canceled for today, I'm unable to collect the boxes from members who weren't able to bring me their boxes on Friday (one reason why paying me when you receive your box is a good idea, as well as giving me your boxes before the weekend!). Therefore, I'm unfortunately going to have to cancel your order if you haven't given me your box already, apologies for that. What timing, eh?

If, however, you were able to get your box to me by Friday, then your bento will be delivered tomorrow as planned, assuming that school is in session.

Thank you for your understanding. In the future if something like this happens again I will have your phone numbers with me and will give you a call to let you know if an order has been canceled.

...and one other thing, about utensils!

Thanks to all of you who gave me your boxes today, and to those of you who will get them to me Monday - not ideal, but fine for the first week; I expected that there would be some things to negotiate initially.

I realized that I didn't mention anything about utensils - I do not provide utensils - I didn't want to go through disposable utensils (that would be a lot of waste from week to week), so you will have to bring your own. Chopsticks are optional! A fork (and spoon, depending on the menu for the particular day) will be fine.

Thanks and I look forward to delivering your lunches next week!

Bento links of interest

This photo was found here, on the website http://www.chronometrie.com

If you're interested in learning more about bento-making and bento themselves, here are a few links to get you started (further searching will reveal many more!):

Just Bento

Lunch in a Box (like Just Bento, kind of a how-to site for bento makers. The blogger has a young son, so there is a lot of information about packing lunches for children as well as adults)

A Japanese Life of Bento (Just Bento Post)

Take a virtual bento shopping trip in Japan (Just Bento post)

Bento Box (this one is kinda too cutesy for my taste)

A visit to any of the above links will reveal that there are many angles from which to approach bento, from how to adapt recipes so that the food is tasty and safe to eat, from the different types of boxes you can purchase, to how to "cute-ify" (don't know how else to describe it) bento food (usually for children).

The bento lunches that you will be receiving from me are created in the spirit of Japanese bento, although the contents are not necessarily Japanese. Also, I do not create my bento for preschoolers, so don't expect any kyaraben/charaben (cute bento/character bento) from me!

As the first week of bento delivery approaches: More bento box notes

~For society members~

Thank you for all of the orders so far! It's been fun to see all the excitement that this is generating. As we are coming up on Friday (tomorrow, when I will collect your boxes from you for next week's delivery) I had a couple of things that I wanted to address.

A note about the size of your container:
I will be putting the same portion of everything in everyone's box, regardless of the container size, so if you give me a larger box, the contents will not fill the container to the brim.

For example, I will be using a cup measure to measure out rice for rice bentos (1.5 cups most likely) and for things like chicken everyone will get the same number of pieces. Everyone will get the same amount of food.

About foods touching each other:
I am not one of those people who is really particular about different types of food touching each other, and as a menu planner I try to include foods in the same box whose flavors complement each other. That being said, if you are someone who really doesn't like their foods touching each other, I would get a bento box with separate compartments. The Laptop Lunchbox is one that I know of (click on the name to go to the product page on their website).

About purchasing a box especially for bento:
It's fun, but not necessary if you have, for example, a shallow tupperware container of the appropriate size (about 20 ounces). Shallow containers are good because I arrange the food horizontally, not vertically (more pleasing to the eye).

Hope you're having fun with this, I certainly am!

Bento Box Example

A few of you were asking me at work today about which bento box to purchase for your lunches, and someone suggested that I post pictures of the box that I use on this blog, so here they are - Lustroware brand:


This is actually Jess K's box, which is a little bigger than mine, but it's the exact same brand and design and can be purchased at the Container Store, in the section where the food storage containers and thermoses and etc. are located. I recall that mine cost a little over $11.


What I love about this box is the tight-fitting lid, as well as the removable divider.

It's also dishwasher safe (both box and lid), and microwave safe if you take off the lid.


Happy bento box hunting!

Bento #6: Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Onigiri (02.25.09)

JK's Bento for February 25, 2009:


Bento contents:
* 2 smoked salmon and cream cheese onigiri (rice balls)
* Simmered sweet potatoes and mushrooms
* Spicy stir-fried lotus root
* Umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum)

Planned menu for first week in March (3rd-5th)

Here is the currently scheduled menu for the first week in March. Main items marked in boldface type. You can sign up in the upstairs kitchen from this Wednesday until Friday (I will be taking all bento boxes home with me at 3:00 pm on Friday).

Tuesday, March 3rd Menu:
Chicken teriyaki (dark meat)
Steamed brown rice
Braised bok choy
Carrot kinpira (Just Bento recipe: carrot matchsticks stir-fried with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a little hot chile pepper)

Wednesday, March 4th Menu:
Tuna-tofu-miso mini burgers (Just Bento recipe)
Steamed brown rice
Simmered carrots
Steamed broccoli

Thursday, March 5th Menu:
Mini baked veggie frittatas (2)
Spanish rice
Roasted vegetables (TBD)
Salad greens
Orange slices

Bento #5: Thai Tofu and Squash Curry (02.19.09)

JK's Bento for February 19, 2009:


Bento contents:
This is actually my bento from Friday February 20 because I failed to take a picture of JK's bento on Thursday. The only difference is that mine was served over rice noodles; hers came with steamed white jasmine rice.
* Thai tofu and squash curry (recipe here)
* Rice noodles (or, steamed jasmine rice)
* Lime wedges, cilantro, and (peanuts) for garnish

Bento #4: Roasted Chickpeas and Quinoa (02.18.09)

JK's Bento for February 18, 2009:



Bento contents:
* Red quinoa with parsley, olive oil and black pepper
* Roasted chickpeas with berebere (recipe here) and sour cream sauce
* Shredded raw green cabbage
* Mandarin orange segments

Bento #3: First Onigiri (02.12.09)

JK's Bento for February 12, 2009:



Bento contents:
* 2 onigiri (rice balls): One plain rolled in homemade noritama furikake, one filled with cream cheese and homegrown radish sprouts, covered in Lydia's gomashio
* Simmered kabocha squash
* Green beans in soy-miso-sesame dressing
* Cold Szechuan spiced shrimp (recipe from "Chinese Cooking," published by JG Press in 2002)

Bento #2: Eclectic Asian Explosion (02.11.09)

JK's Bento for February 11, 2009:



Bento contents:
* Stir-fried shirataki noodles with vegetables and tofu (Just Bento recipe)
* Lazy easy tea egg (Just Bento recipe)
* Cold spiced Szechuan shrimp (recipe from "Chinese Cooking," published by JG Press in 2002)
* Green beans with soy-miso-sesame dressing
* Homemade daikon pickles
* Broccoli trees
* Mandarin orange segments

Bento #1: Korokke with Mushroom Pasta! (02.05.09)

JK's first bento, from February 5, 2009:



Bento contents:
* 2 deep-fried potato, green onion and cheese korokke (Japanese croquettes - recipe from a bilingual cookbook, "Japanese Family-Style recipes, by Urakami Hiroko, published by Kodansha in 2003)
* Ziti pasta with mushroom and soy-butter sauce
* Garlicky white bean dip with lemon and green onions
* Raw carrot sticks (for dipping in the dip)
* Green grapes

Aidan Bento Society : Welcome and Information

Welcome to the Aidan Bento Society, where Aidan faculty and staff can enjoy a delicious bento lunch prepared by me. This post will help you familiarize yourself with how our "society" works.

Bento philosophy and contents
First of all, what does "bento" refer to? Essentially, the term bento (or obento, with the honorific) is a Japanese term used to describe a meal in a box. There are many different types of bento, and a thriving bento-making culture in Japan (and, increasingly, here in the U.S.). I take much of my bento-making inspiration from Maki, the blogger behind Just Bento. Her website contains a lot of interesting and useful bento-related information, including recipes! I definitely owe this undertaking to her.

My bento lunches are basically planned according to Japanese bento principles as described on the Just Bento website, with a 4:2:1 ratio between rice/carbs, protein, and others (vegetables, mostly). Sometimes I will include a sweet treat, like fruit or a dessert. When you order a lunch from me, you will basically be getting what I am already making for me and Matt for lunch - this isn't leftovers, I'll just be making larger quantities of the same food that I've already planned for our bento lunches. We are adventurous eaters and like spicy food, so be forewarned! I will try to include as much information about the main dish as possible (including spiciness, for example) so you can make an informed decision. Most bento will be suitable at room temperature – no need to reheat. I will indicate if a particular bento needs to be refrigerated or would benefit from reheating.

Prices
A full bento lunch is $7. If you only want the main dish, it's $4. The weekly sign-up sheet (see below, under "Logistics") will indicate (using boldface type) what the main dish on a particular day includes.

Logistics
I only offer lunches Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays when school is in session. You will have to plan ahead if you want to order a bento from me – I will post the menu and sign-up sheet the Wednesday before, on the table in the upstairs kitchen. Orders will close two days later, each Friday. Some weeks I will give you a complete menu, while other weeks I will only have the main dish determined. You will need to provide me with an empty bento box (see suggestions under “Container guidelines,” below). I will collect your bento boxes each Friday. Just place your boxes on my desk on the second floor, with your name marked on the box, by 3:00 pm. No substitutions or special requests, please. Cash only, and on delivery. Bento will be dropped off Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 10:30-10:45 am in the kitchen – I will leave them on the table.

Container guidelines
As a member of the Aidan Bento Society, you will be asked to provide your own bento box for me to fill. Please mark your box clearly with your name. If you are trying to limit your calorie intake, you can simply choose a smaller box. It may be that you do not have to purchase a new box for this.

Maki at Just Bento has a very detailed guide to selecting a bento box, here. Basically, a lot of different containers can work for a bento; you don't necessarily need to purchase a special one just for your Bento Society lunches, although admittedly having your lunch served to you in a pretty container is appealing.

I use Lustroware (a Japanese brand) boxes for me and my husband, purchased from the Container Store (got the idea from JK, so all three of us currently use the same box!) Mine holds 650 ml and my husband's holds 850 ml. They are clear plastic and have a clear lid with a metal bar closure (? don't know how else to describe it) on either side.

Still curious?
If you're still curious about what goes into my boxes, see these posts for descriptions of previous bento lunches made for JK: Bento #1, Bento #2, Bento #3, Bento #4, Bento #5, and Bento #6.

Welcome to the "club"!
~Jamie