Bento du Jour

First, a word about the title. I have been having a hard time lately coming up with titles for my posts. I mean, how many times can I call it, essentially "My Lunch" before we are all bored to tears? I could go back to Bento #whatever - but I don't exactly know what number I'm on, to be honest.

I was chatting about this title quandry with my friend Andrea and she suggested I try something with an International flair. Since bento is quite the international phenomenon currently, I say, why not?

So without further ado, I present today's lunch:

Contents:

• Brown steamed rice
• Shake-n-bake chicken
• Carrot flowers
• Broccoli stems and grass
• Lettuce
• Grapes
• Tomatoes
  

The color in this tier was good - and the tomatoes continue to be tasty. I even ate my lettuce today, believe it or not!

This is the first time I've used this little flower cutter. It is much smaller than the stars I usually do, and it is a fondant cutter, so I wasn't sure it was going to be strong enough to cut through carrot. It had no problems.

Happy Bento!

Gardening

This beautiful bloom brought to you by the Borage in my garden that has generously self-sown from last year.

Stay tuned for more pictures of other wonderful garden "volunteers."

Sunny Day Bento

Bento #35 actually got planned out last night in advance. I guess it must be wishful thinking as the dark, wet, cold winter sets in for me to doodle and create a summery bento. Here is the blueprint for today's bento:


And here is the final product:


On the left I have a bed of pearl rice that I cooked up this morning. The grass is made of steamed brocholi (steamed slightly too long, I'm afraid). The sun is made of carrot shavings. The stems are tiny peices of celery. The roses are made of tomatoes that I picked from my garden this morning.

For the record, I don't suggest that you try to craft any shape out of tomato. They are a very difficult and unforgiving medium.

On the right side of the divider are porkchop cubes and pineapple skewered onto toothpicks. Below that are some slices of apple.

Again, if you've never had pineapple pork chops, you should really check out this post which has step-by-step photos to go with the recipe.