Cookbook/authentic Japanese cooking (with some variations), especially for packaging into bento meals. Nice reference/cookbook. Most of these things I wouldn't take the trouble to make (for example, the Tamagoyaki, p. 19.) but if I find myself with the tools/ingredients in the future, I might want to check this book out again. For a more in-depth history and background on traditional Japanese foods, see also The Japanese Kitchen / Kimiko Barber.

As with most cookbooks, I found it helpful to be able to borrow this from my local library rather than purchasing, so for those of you who are contemplating giving cookbooks as a gift, please check your library first. ( )

Concise review of supplies, ingredients, and methods of cooking and creating a variety of (relatively) healthy bento lunches; each style of bento often lists several alternative versions with multiple takes on donburi, sukiyaki, teriyaki, etc. Making onigiri, dumplings, tamagoyaki, fast "pickled" veggies, kinpira, and other common Japanese style foods are covered in an off-hand natural manner as well. You come away with a good grasp on how to shop for, plan, schedule, and improvise these meals.

A few of the recipes were unappealing to me (e.g. ham wrapped cream cheese with a few slices of green beans/carrots; lots of meat or tofu "nuggets"), and the author seems more inclined to use a microwave, frozen vegetables, or other shortcuts than I would prefer...

But overall the book is worth perusing especially if you are unfamiliar with Japanese food or simply want to step up your brown bagging. ( )

I'm really amazed on bento boxes whenever we are dining out on Japanese restaurants so I'd like to give it a try in my own home. This book has been helpful in providing me all the exact details to create a beautiful bento exactly as shown on the illustrations on the book. The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients can be locally find in a nearby store all in all I just have so much fun doing my own bento box. My family loves it specially my kids they'd show off their pack lunch to their friends and they'll be all smile telling how proudly they are it was done by their mom. Great recipe book I love it. ( )

Description: Bento fever has recently swept across the West, fuelled not just by an interest in cute, decorative food, but by the desire for an economical, healthy approach to eating in these times of recession. A leading light in the popularization of bento has been Makiko Itoh, whose blog, Just Bento, has nearly 160,000 subscribers in the U.S. alone, all of whom love her delicious recipes and practical bento-making tips.

Now, for the first time, Itoh's expertise has been packaged in book form. The Just Bento Cookbook contains 25 attractive bento menus and more than 150 recipes, all of which have been specially created for this book and are divided into two main sections, Japanese and Not-so-Japanese. The Japanese section includes classic bento menus such as Salted Salmon Bento and Chicken Karaage Bento, while the Not-so-Japanese section shows how Western food can be adapted to the bento concept, with delicious menus such as Summer Vegetable Gratin Bento and Everyone Loves a Pie Bento.

In addition to the recipes, Itoh includes sections on bento-making equipment, bento staples to make and stock, basic cooking techniques, and a glossary. A planning-chart section is included, showing readers how they might organize their weekly bento making.

In a market full of bento books that emphasize the cute and the decorative, this book stands out for its emphasis on the health and economic benefits of the bento, and for the very practical guidelines on how to ensure that a daily bento lunch is something that can easily be incorporated into anyone's lifestyle. This is the perfect book for the bento beginner, but will also provide a wealth of new bento recipe ideas and tips for Just Bento aficionados.

Thoughts: Going back to working outside of my home has presented several challenges, not the least of which has been the food issue. My food rules for myself are pretty specific and I'm not typically inclined to break them for reasons as wimpy as convenience. That said, the first few weeks of work found me struggling to make lunches work, whether that meant taking something hastily made in with me or hunting around town for something I wouldn't regret eating. It was not fun.

I decided to carry my lunch most days, but my ideas for healthy, appetizing, office friendly lunches were really few. So, I started scouring Amazon and the internet for cookbooks and ideas. I was aware of bento and tiffin, but I didn't really know how to execute it for myself. That's when I found The Just Bento Cookbook.

Since I just received this today, I can't comment on whether the recipes are any good yet. What I can say is that this is a GREAT introduction to bento style packed lunches. It's about 1/2 Japanese styled bentos and 1/2 American (including sandwiches, salads, soups, even homemade chicken nuggets) and International (such as Mediterranian, meat pies, and even curry) styles. The recipes are laid out basically as meal plans: all include veg, protein, and carbs (usually rice), and often also have fruit or other snacks.

Here's an example of how things are arranged:

Mini-hamburger Bento

Contents:

Mini-hamburgers
red onion and parsley salad
blanched snow peas
white rice with sesame salt
fruit
carrot and cheese flowers (a tasty garnish because eating with your eyes is important in Japanese cooking)

The section includes all the recipes you need, a FANTASTIC timeline to help you get your lunch done super efficiently and quickly in the morning, ideas for ways you can prepare some things ahead of time, and several recipe variations, including: nori-wrapped mini-hamburgers, spicy pork mini-burgers, bacon- wrapped mini-burgers, tuna mini-burgers, fresh salmon mini-burgers, and vegan black-bean mini-burgers. That's AWESOME! Go check the preview on Amazon to see the layout in action (page 15).

Also AWESOME are the many tips on how to make things you might think you needed to buy at home instead. A great example of this is a recipe for salted salmon, which sounds ridiculously easy and will save a lot of money.

Basically, I am thrilled with this bento cookbook and can't wait to try some recipes out. My conscience, wallet, and tummy will thank me for picking this up.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/138183#3530033 ( )