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Sunday, November 14, 2010

baby tako bento

Hi bento pals! Another warm and beautiful weekend enjoyed here with deep blue skies and radiant maples, ginkgos and oaks flying their colorful leaf banners. A long walk around the neighborhood was rich with intense autumn colors...
For Monday's lunch, a simple bento with seasoned baby octopus from Hana Mart, an excellent Japanese market in D.C. we visited this weekend...
Stir-fried asparagus, buna shimeji mushrooms and yellow pepper with baby romaine and oba leaves for green contrast, and mandarin orange, blackberries and Granny Smith apple slices to finish the meal sweetly. I'm waiting for this persimmon to ripen...love the prettily shaped, embossed leaves on top!
Have a super week ahead!

32 comments:

Megg said...

Oh I love that seasoned baby octopus! I can get it at the Mitsuwa near me! Such a gorgeous presentation too, as usual!
I feel like I should have asked this forever ago, since I'm always wondering, but are the flowers you use in your bentos all edible?

I have a pollen allergy and something tells me eating flowers would not be a good idea for me (since I get sniffly just being around them) but they're so pretty and I've always just been curious as to whether or not you eat them!

Bentobird said...

Hi Megg! Mmmmm, your latest "Week in Bentos" post made me so hungry :D

Thanks for asking about the flowers. Well, for the most part I try to use edible ones, like pansies, violets, nasturtium, mint, sage, viola, oregano, marigold, rose, but sometimes, like today, I'll add a non-edible element as a bento prop!

Emily Ng said...

Wow...another 'WOW' bento..so colourful and super nice. Love all the pictures too...awesome. I love to see the autumn color captured by you. So pretty. I love to eat persimmon too..but a bit pricey here. Have a great week ahead!

Bobo said...

the baby tako blend in the red colour dish.. beautiful.

I wish I could have a bite on the black berries too..

You always make your bento into a piece of Art :)

OhayoBento said...

The octopus look great in that dish, I've never had them before but your presentation really makes me want to try them. You could print your bento photos and hang them on the wall, they are so gorgeous.

Sysyl said...

looks so colorful...does the baby tako taste good?i never try it...

KidsDreamWork said...

Love the way you serve the baby octopus in the small flower petal plate which matches the falling leaves around! Perfect bento!

Angeleyes said...

I really love the color of autumn.... So nice to get to enjoy all these beautiful colors!

Great tako bento....

Lia Chen said...

Jenn, I love when you put your small beautiful dish inside the bento box. Golden autumn theme in your bento is totally awesome!

Bentobird said...

Hi Emily! Thanks so much :) They are pricey here, too...waiting for this one to ripen and hopefully be delish!

Bentobird said...

Bobo, that is so kind of you, glad you liked this bento...here, I have some more blackberries ;)

Bentobird said...

Hi Sysyl! Yes, this shop sells them with a slighlty sweet sesame glaze and they are so good! Hope you can try some soon...

Bentobird said...

Hi Ai Ping *blushing* thank you! Glad you liked this one, dear :)

Bentobird said...

Thanks Angeleyes, have a great day!!

Bentobird said...

Hi Lia, so kind of you! Loved your new culinary pics I saw last night on flickr, they were amazing....

tofugirl said...

Yummy, baby octopus! I love all the colors in this post. It's funny with persimmons, I like them very very ripe, but my mother insists on eating them when they're still hard and astringent. No accounting for tastes :)

Bentobird said...

Hi Carol! Yep, I'm looking forward to lunch! New to persimmons, but am pretty sure I'd prefer them sweet. Have a good Monday :))

tata | bonitafood said...

Take me for a walk, please... I'm sure it's gonna be so great :D. Your baby takos are so red, are they very spicy? :D

Journal Mommy Yenny said...

Very yummy bento! and gorgeous pictures too :b

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Gorgeous colorful bento! Now it makes me want to sing ♪itsy bitsy teeny weeny cute octopi♪♪ ^0^ I love the red ginkgo dish too!
Ah I wish I could fly to you and go to Hana mart with you...

Mommalina said...

Baby octopus sounds so yummy!! ... and I love shimeji mushroom too, actually I love almost all kind of edible mushroom. I really want to learn more about some edible flower for garnish too, maybe you can share some tips, that would be awesome!!!
BTW, I just passed on the stylish blogger award for you, please come by and claim it ^_^ Congrats!!

Bentobird said...

Hi Ta, any time...would also love to stroll in captivating Indonesia with you!

Bentobird said...

Thank you Journal Mommy Yenny!!

Bentobird said...

Hi Izumi!! Food shopping and cooking with you would be soooooo fun!

Bentobird said...

Hi Lina! Yes indeed, all kinds of mushrooms are soooo good, and this is the prefect time of year for them, right? My fave edible flowers include flowering tips of oregano and sage, and I love violets, chive blossoms, pansies and peppery nasturtium!

Found this handy online guide to edible blooms that has provided many ideas...there are many more edible flowers I have not yet tried!

http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm

Touched by your award, thanks so much, Lina! You are such a great bento pal :D!

Kuusou said...

I want to come live where you do! Here in Texas everything goes from green to brown - no beautiful turning colors.

Your bento is beautifully vibrant with fall colors - so yummy!

Bentobird said...

Hi there Kuusou! Aw, sorry to hear that! Maybe winters are less harsh than ours? Thanks for stopping by! :D

Susan Yuen said...

Gorgeous colors and I love how you arranged everything! Beautiful!

Bentobird said...

Thanks Susan dear!!

Lexi said...

I just love the colour of the octopus, what's it seasoned with? yum!

Bentobird said...

Hi Lexi! That's a great question...sweet and sesame flavors with these little takos!