Tuesday, July 16, 2013

The Mid-Summer Bento: Tebasaki in EcoLunchBox!

Helloooooo out there! Is anybody still out there? Or are you all on the beach, kicking back and letting the kids live out their summertime dreams? If you're like us, you've been milking every minute from this long-awaited summer. We took off the very day after the kindergarten graduation ceremony back in May. Literally. Of course, after all the fun at Legoland, Disney, museums, beach, camping, county fairs, concerts, and poolside, the kids still have to eat. But guess what? MisterMan has been picking up the ball and making bento for himself and his sister throughout their summer programs. Score! Me -- since I've been on bento hiatus I haven't even booted up the laptop much less brought out the camera setup to take any photos. But I have been taking phone pics of his creations, and I really want to show you a sample of his handiwork. You know, later.
So yes, I've been enjoying my summer too, bento-wise. However, I did manage to make their bento today, just because I kind of missed it. This simple bento contains tebasaki (crispy chicken drumettes and wings, see the method and recipe I use here); vinegary two-color cabbage slaw; fresh corn-off-the-cob; pickled cukes, carrots, daikon and red onion; cherries; and cantaloupe. All packed up in the very practical and stylish Ecolunchbox Three-in-One. I think I did okay! This is my token mid-summer bento contribution, to keep my chops fresh. Hope you are all having a blast this summer so far! We've still got half the rest of summer yet to go, so see you out there! \(^__^)/

10 comments:

  1. the summer cheer and freshness just beam from this bento! I love your use of cute flexible holders in this one...all so gorgeous and light-hearted.

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  2. This looks delicious and such a good summer combination! I wonder if you could post some time about how you keep the food before making the bento, so that it stays fresh? I am assuming you cook the chicken ahead of time? Can you cook chicken wings a lot ahead of time and use during the week? Or maybe not. Thanks! So glad to see this post.

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    1. Hi cathiharris,

      This kind of chicken is actually best eaten fresh. However, I usually don't have time to crisp up the chicken before packing in the morning. So I store the food in the fridge overnight and they take it out in the morning. By lunchtime, it has warmed up to room temp. I personally like to eat chicken at all temps, and my kids are the same. It’s very good! But if your kids prefer it hot, you can heat it up in the morning and pack it in a thermal food jar. If you prefer to cook a large batch at once, I would freeze and take out what you need each day, reheat, and pack in thermal. I hope this helps. Thank so much!

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    2. Thanks! That information is very helpful. My daughter likes this chicken very much. So I am going to try the method of making the night before, taking it out and warming it up before packing.

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    3. You're welcome; I hope she enjoys her bento!

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  3. Wow, that's a big lunch. Looks delicious. As far as storing the chicken, how do you keep it cool? Have you thought about trying a PlanetBox? Mine came with a great carrying case that I can stick icepacks in. And the lunchbox is stainless, too, of course. Here's a link if you're curious: www.planetbox.com

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    1. Actually, the chicken doesn't need to be kept cool; the kids prefer it at room temp. However, ice packs in the bag work well for food that needs to stay cool. I'd love to try the Planetbox but it's just a bit too expensive.

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  4. Hi from Finland! Are you from Japan? I love your blog and those bentos look so delicious. You have so much more different kind of vegetables and fruits than we in Finland used to have. Even berries look much bigger! Bento is a new thing for me cos we don't have that kind of lunch culture in here. Actually, in our schools we have free lunch every day paid by the government. But I really get inspired of your makings. I was looking that kind of lunchbox (with a different size of boxes inside or partitions) from Finland's supermarket but I didn't find any. Luckily, I have those silicone muffin cups, so I can at least try to make my own bento :)

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    1. Hi essim!
      I have some friends from Finland who also make bento. It sounds wonderful that your schools provide a lunch for the children, but it's also very rewarding and fun to make bento for your children from time to time. Or even for yourself! I'm glad you find my bento interesting; I also find lots of inspiration from other bentomakers around the world. I hope you venture into bento and discover a fun hobby.
      Thanks so much for your note; I love hearing from folks like you! <3

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