This bento is a celebration of Aries: the electric, renewing energy of early spring--emerging bright green growth, highly animated birds and squirrels, the vivid sense of change and freshness in the air.
Consulting my handy astrological cookbook A Taste of Astrology once again, I found that the flavors and colors of this Mars-ruled sign are assertive, bright and spicy: hot peppers, foods containing iron (such as the lemongrass beef in this bento), onions and garlic, radishes, spear-shaped asparagus, ginger, bright spring greens, coffee: the realm of the "astringent, burning, pungent, spicy, stimulating".
With the lemongrass beef lettuce wraps I have included garlic flower buds, a container of spicy Sriracha (whose striding rooster label seemed a perfect Aries symbol), and a heart-shaped omelet flavored with spring-onion scallions and more garlic buds.
Mini avocado flowers carry forth the pale green theme, as do the kiwi flowers in the sweets section. (Thanks to my talented and kind bento pal for sharing the beautiful sakura picks!) Mocha candies from Russian Gourmet lend their vivid red poppy wrappers and Aries-favored coffee flavor. A few baby tomatoes add Aries cell salt, potassium phosphate, and pops of warm color.
An Aries friend just happened to give me a card yesterday that perfectly conveys the uplifting, cheerful energy of this sign!
A cold front moved through after a rainy night, revealing a crisp and brilliant morning:
I'm excited to attend the The Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival tomorrow, "the largest one-day exhibition of Japanese culture in the United States". Have a fun, creative, festive weekend, bento friends!
18 comments:
i just love your astrology-themed bentos - what a wonderful flavor-based interpretation of this sign's traits. beautiful colors and artful arrangement - love the flower shape echoes and the multiple uses of garlic buds! have a fab weekend jenn, hope you enjoy the festival!
Thanks so much, megan! I regretted missing Pisces (maybe next year!) so I definitely wanted to do Aries. Hmmm, next sign is food loving Taurus, that should be fun! Your comments are so encouraging and I really appreciate them! Sending loads of apartment-hunting mojo your way!!
Deliciously evocative, as I've come to expect from you, bentobird! I love the nature bursting out of your bento always, but esp in Spring. You got the stringent tones well, and the tiny heart omelet is darling. Thank you for the garden pics; I really enjoy them as much as your bento pics!! Have a fantastic time at the festival; can't wait to hear about it :)
You have a great talent to translate all the astrological elements and transform it into a beautiful bento. Hope you have a great time at the festival! I am sure you will take a lot of great pictures as always :) Have a fun weekend!
Come on May/June... I wanna see a Gemini bento *hint hint wink wink*
Can't wait to see photos of the festival!!! Wish I was still there so I could tag along :)
Hiya sherimiya! I'm happy that you feel I evoked Aries with this bento...thank you! Just back from the festival, which was lively and fun indeed, looking forward to putting up some pics soon! Hope you are enjoying a splendid spring weekend, my dear :)
Hi Lia, super sweet comments, many thanks! The festival was great, and even featured some cute bento stuff! Also found a nice piece of antique kimono silk in bright spring colors that will inspire my next bento :)
Hi Angi, OK, Gemini's comin' up, right after luxurious, foodie Taurus ;) Yes, it would have been fun to go together as bento enthusiasts--took a few pictures of kawaii bento items at the Festival that I will post soon, hope you'll enjoy them!
Beautiful bento, bentobird!!! I'm loving this astrology bento idea and I can't wait to see what you do for Taurus (I'm one, you know!) It's probably dusk where you are right now, so I bid you a good evening!
Wow, what a gorgeous bento!!! There's so much thought and planning that you put into each of your bentos that I find very inspiring! :D
Lovely and inspiring as always! Hope you enjoyed the festival, sounds awesome!
Hiya Judy! Awesome, looking forward to Taurus very much, happy to hear you are one (my moon is there, so I really "get" Taurus, esp the love of food and beautiful things of the earth, like you do!)
Hi Susan and thank you! A very interesting comment...I like to have a general bento concept or inspiration and then kind of improvise my way towards its realization. How about you--do you do a lot of planning ahead when making your oh so pretty bentos?
Thank as always for your warm and encouraging words, Lexi! The festival was great fun and I'm about to put up a new post about it...hope you'll enjoy it! Have a great week, would love to hear how spring has come to the UK so far...
It's wonderful Jenn! Haha, my mom asks me if she has this bento how she is supposed to eat it? She says that it's too beautiful to eat. She adds that this bento is better for flower bouquet on table LOL :D
I hadn't expected those avocado flowers to look so delicate, it's amazing! Was that a lucky pick or a lightbulb moment? :P
And I still [heart] this bento box! :))
Dear Tata, please tell your mom that her comment made my afternoon!
Hi gnoe!
The avocados were at that fleeting, perfect moment of tender ripeness, and I made these little shapes with some new and tiny plastic cutters. Thanks indeed for your very kind comments!
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