Lunch, May 13, 2018

Multiple experiments in one meal.

• Gobo to satsumaage no donburi / burdock root, deep-fried fishcake and enoki mushrooms over steamed rice
• Kabu to usuage no misoshiru / miso soup with Japanese turnips and thin deep-fried tofu
• Fuki no amazuzuke / Japanese butterbur in sweetened vinegar
• Yaki-papurika no shoga-zoe / roasted red bell pepper with grated ginger

Lunch bento, September 22, 2017

We had a day off due to a sudden job cancellation, and since nice sunny weather was expected, we decided to go up the road to the top of Blue Mountain in the Olympic National Park.

• Onigiri / rice balls
• Menuke no yuan-yaki / grilled yuan-sauce marinated rock cod
• Tamagoyaki / plain omelette
• Kyabetsu to hakusai no okaka-ae / steamed cabbage and napa cabbage mixed with bonito flakes
• Shishito no sotee / sauteed Japanese peppers
• Konnyaku no itameni / braised konnyaku yam cakes
• Satoimo no nikkorogashi / baby taro root in broth
• Kabu to usuage no nimono / Japanese turnip and thin deep-fried tofu in broth
• Murasaki tamanegi no amazuzuke / red onion in sweetened vinegar

Lunch, June 25, 2015

A bento can be the solution to making a lunch date with a busy friend. Forget about driving around to find a parking spot, hoping to get a table or waiting for food to arrive to fill your hungry stomach!

• Sekihan / steamed sweet rice with azuki beans
• Sake to hijiki no itameni / sauteed salmon with hijiki seaweed and broccoli
• Ninjin-iri tamagoyaki / omelet with grated carrot
• Fuki no gomani / Japanese butterbur in sesame-flavored broth
• Shirataki to jako no itameni / stir-fried konnyaku yam noodles, carrot and green pepper with dried young sardines
• Tofu, soramame to ebi no yuzukosho itame / sauteed tofu, fava beans and shrimp with citrus pepper
• Biitsu no amazu-zuke / beets in sweetened vinegar

Lunch, March 29, 2014

Our neighbors brought us fresh clams on their way back from Oregon the other day, and it was a real wake-up call about what we had been missing. Clams are common in the Japanese diet (prepared in Japanese, Western and Chinese styles in particular), but after coming to the US we had forgotten about them, partly due to their low visibility at stores. In addition, each time an occasional closure of nearby recreational clamming sites due to pollution was announced, we drew further away from the creature. But once you find a reliable source, the delicious experience clams offer is worth the time spent on prep.

Lunch, January 17, 2014

As usual, leftover tempura from the previous day becomes tentojidon.

Lunch bento, December 5, 2013

Tom likes to hike even in below-freezing temperatures. He usually makes a sandwich or grabs one at a store, but a warm lunch must be nice on a cold day. So here we tested a new thermos lunch box to see how warm the food stays.

Lunch, September 16

Unexpected events make your life more interesting. Who would think Tom would be sent to the ER and then admitted to the Critical Care Unit for cardiac problems?

Lunch on a hike, June 6, 2012

• Onigiri rice balls with umeboshi pickled plum, wrapped with nori seaweed
• Onigiri rice balls with scrambled egg and umeboshi pickled plum, wrapped with nori seaweed
• Water

Onigiri rice balls are our choice for food on the go. They are filling, won't crumble, and your hands stay clean.

Lunch, March 30, 2012

I have been trying to make a good nagaimo Chinese yam dumpling soup for some time, and I wanted to try it with less potato starch for a softer texture without the powdery taste.

Lunch, June 18, 2011

Japanese food for lunch? We usually don't do that. But today, there was concern over not getting enough vegetables.

Problem 1: There were no vegetables in the morning. For breakfast, I had one pancake. Tom also had a pancake along with one egg, which were covered with overflowing maple syrup. Sick. How much sugar does he need? At least he doesn't usually lick his plate afterward anymore.

Problem 2: There will be only a few vegetables with the paella we are going to have for dinner.