halloween kitten bento

Hi bento pals! A quick post for today with a bento of farmer's market greens, edible flowers, tangy green tomatoes and in keeping with Halloween, a tiny nori kitten peeking out from behind a baby yellow pepper! Her pink nose is pickled ginger.

Rounding out lunch: teriyaki saury, asparagus and maple-cut polenta...

A cute hand painted Halloween pumpkin seen at the farmer's market

Our crepe myrtle turned electrically bright in the last few days and has started to drop its vibrant leaves...

I've been enjoying all the cute and spooky holiday bentos this week...Happy Halloween!

savoring late october

Hi bento pals! This was a weekend of savory, foliage-bright food and fun. As is my custom, Saturday morning included a walk to the farmer's market...

Some market selections, back home

We spent Saturday afternoon making some nice appetizers to bring to a get-together that evening. One was a decadent squash, Gruyere and cream casserole, from a recipe I heartily recommend! Everyone seemed to enjoy this combination of rich and savory tastes.

Here's the butternut squash before being layered with cheese and cream:

Fresh from the oven...comfort food indeed

Today was warm and clear, a perfect day for ambling around outside and exploring. We visited Old Town Leesburg to try a Cajun restaurant recommended by friends.

Housed in a charming old building, The Cajun Experience serves up hearty homestyle fare...

A starter of crispy crawfish

Jamison's savory seafood gumbo

The Oyster Po' Boy was really delish

 This meal has me inspired to pore over my Cajun/Creole cookbooks!

Jamison's capture of a crow-filled tree, observed from our table in the courtyard

An 18th century stone building just up the street from the restaurant

Many antiques shops line the streets of this cute town, plus a bounty of cafes I'll want to explore when the weather turns cold...

I think I'll need to return to a sweet boutique of imported French items for this "Brown Bear" honey:

Tomorrow's bento features a variety of colorful and autumn-spiced foods. A purple pepper is filled with sauteed mushrooms, garlic, shallots, parsley and bread crumbs and keeps company with bright pomegranate seeds. In the upper right section, chicken in spicy red pepper-eggplant sauce with Greek yogurt, topped with dill and little butternut squash decorations.

Red stemmed spinach, walnuts, radish and baby marigold in the big section, to be dressed later with walnut oil for extra fall flavor...

forest friends bento

Hey bento pals! Today's bento continues the autumnal theme with bear and owl buddies in an October forest. The "bear" is spicy red salmon salad rolled in mixed grains (brown and black rice, barley) and detailed with goat cheese, gouda and nori.

The little owl, aloft in broccoli trees, is a handmade pick fashioned from a Japanese bead and toothpick...

Baby Bella mushrooms, pea shoots, purple cabbage and a bright yellow mini pepper comprise this edible forest; up top, we have granny smith apple slices, a lady apple, dried papaya and a goat cheese heart with honey (for the bear!) and papaya bits.

Another glorious October day, with cosmos in full bloom

cats out and about in the afternoon sun...

maples in fiery glory

Almost to the weekend, have a great one!

black cat in garden bento

Hi Bento pals! Today's bento features some farmer's market finds and looks forward to Halloween with a nori kitty roaming on a ground of local squash with an edible flower accent. A potato-onion tortilla wedge is garnished with baby marigolds, part of Wisteria Gardens "Sweet and Spicy" greens mix (the snow pea shoots are part of that same festive blend).

A sesame cookie from a Middle Eastern bakery is topped here with local goat cheese and half a Concord grape...more grapes and a lady apple also inside. Speaking of the farmer's market, this weekend was the second to last before it ends for the season...

market selections, back home:

Have a great week!

 

autumn owl bento

Hi bento pals! Today's bento features an autumnal owl pastry filled with some yummy roast chicken made by hubby for last night's dinner:

He did an awesome job, glazing the chicken with thyme, honey, and fruit preserves for a lovely golden skin...and roasted it alongside sauteed red onions, walnuts, celery and whole garlic cloves and shallots. Yum indeed.

The owl pastry is filled with shredded pieces of the roast and some of the veggies, and shares the bento with half a purple pepper, baby romaine, golden tomatoes, radish and up top guava paste skewers, Asian pear slices and raspberries. I've added this bento to Shannon's Wednesday roundup!

We have been enjoying some incredibly beautiful weather--crisp, bright and lyrically lit with mid-Autumn sunlight. Many flowers are still in bloom, like this vivid pink rose...

Gimme latte!

Days like this are a special gift...