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Thursday, March 24, 2011

french flavors bento


Hi bento pals! Today's bento was inspired by the bright colors and special kawaii of the "Palette's Sweet Street" San-X line. I recently found a set of Palette's Sweet Street stickers at Kinokuniya and fell in love with its adorable Parisian black kitten peeking out from an array of vibrantly colored desserts...

Cute food picks made with the sticker set:


Parisian pâtisseries and the Eiffel Tower seem to be kitty's favorite haunts...so I wondered, what might she enjoy in a Francophile bento lunch? How about arugula tossed with French walnut oil, French green lentil salad with walnuts and walnut oil, a heart shaped open faced sammie with chicken salad (diced chicken, artichokes, fines herbes, red onion, mayo and fresh dill)?

Little goat cheese rounds rolled in Herbes de Provence and spicy edible johnny jump-ups add bright and savory flair:


French Green Lentil Salad with Walnut Oil

To one cup of French green lentils (cooked until tender with salt and a bouquet garni) add walnut oil to taste, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a thin-sliced scallion, a grind of pepper, a handful of walnuts. Adjust seasonings and enjoy a healthy, earthy and elegant salad!

Bakery-made mini cheesecake, raspberries and coconut-dusted champagne mango for dessert, with French macaroon-kitty pick! Speaking of food picks, I'm crazy about these new "jewel" picks from Japan with their fun glamour-kawaii vibe:



Cool and rainy weather here, but at last flowers brightening the out of doors! Indigo blue twin hyacinths:


Watercolor pastel pansy


Magnolia in full bloom


The bento4japan fundraising effort is going strong! A growing collection of lovely bento stuffs to benefit the cause are available here. Thanks again to the organizers of this excellent effort, our friendship, prayers and best hopes to the people of Japan as they recover from this calamity.



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26 comments:

  1. Robin OMarch 24, 2011 at 6:33 PM

    Another bodacious bento with plenty of savoir faire! Adorable theme, tasty lentils and lighthearted cheerfulness. Such a nice place to visit. Happy weekend!

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  2. BentobirdMarch 24, 2011 at 7:04 PM

    Hi Robin! Always a pleasure to see your birdie icon alight here and read your sweet comments :D Hope you've had a good week thus far, off to see what's cooking at your blog now...!

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  3. tinyskilletMarch 24, 2011 at 7:05 PM

    Bento beau, tout semble délicieux!
    Vous êtes un tel talent

    How funny, I was going to use Johnny jump ups in my next bento. Mine are so tiny compared to yours. Maybe it's the lack of rain, and the fact they just pop up where ever they want to. Is that your magnolia tree? and I love the jewel picks. I saw some jewel picks last season and I went back to buy them and they were all gone.
    :( I learned that you buy it when you see it.

    Thanks for posting the bento4Japan, you can reach so many here.

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  4. BentobirdMarch 24, 2011 at 7:34 PM

    Merci, Lyndsey ma chère amie!

    These rather large johnny jump ups are from a local nursery, where they've been nurtured with abundant rain! The magnolia tree is a very old one in Alexandria that I saw on my lunch break...

    Here are the jewel picks I used in this bento :)

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180573560512&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

    Hugs and happy weekend!

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  5. The Church Cook March 24, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    Je ne parle pas français, like y'all, but I sure love these beautiful things. Wish I had you guiding me with Picnic Tea I hosted last week @ Williamsburg.

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  6. Happy Little BentoMarch 24, 2011 at 11:05 PM

    Sweet! I love the French feeling...

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  7. Journal Mommy YennyMarch 25, 2011 at 12:38 AM

    All in beautiful colors! how lovely

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  8. JudyMarch 25, 2011 at 1:13 AM

    Loved your pretty picks and edible flowers!
    Surveyed eBay and made some bids for bento4Japan bento stuff. There must be an automatic bid jumper, for some would come back with "you've been outbid" immediately! I'm new to this and feel like I'm being manipulated.

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  9. Edible ArtMarch 25, 2011 at 2:02 AM

    i love the heart sandwichhhh,
    i would buy the picks if they were in a solid color...
    ^ ^

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  10. Lia ChenMarch 25, 2011 at 4:08 AM

    So sweet! Too pretty to eat hehehe ... Love your idea to make cute picks with the sticker sets. Very creative of you Jenn :)

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  11. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 7:08 AM

    Hi Kay! Oh, I must go see the pictures from your Picnic Tea ASAP, know they will be glorious (and give me spring picnic inspiration!)
    Happy weekend :D

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  12. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 7:08 AM

    Thanks Sheri! Have a super Friday.

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  13. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 7:10 AM

    Thanks Yenny dear ^^!

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  14. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 7:20 AM

    Hi there Judy, glad you liked this feline inspired bento!

    I think you are encountering higher bids that others have put in previously (whose total/highest bid is not shown in the "current bid" price)...adding suspense and sometimes frustration to the bidding process.

    Hope you'll find some cool bento goodies to add to your estimable collection...have a great weekend!

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  15. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 7:23 AM

    Thanks Stephanie! Sandwiches are a fun food medium to play with :D

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  16. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 7:24 AM

    Hi Lia! Aw thanks, a very nice comment from the blogger I think of as the queen of cuteness ^^!

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  17. meganMarch 25, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    what a lovely and whimsical bento! i love seeing how your inspirations drive your creative and colorful presentations. the stickers are adorable and i love that you are not limited by the boundaries of what *comes* as a pre-made food pick!! have a wonderful weekend pal :-)

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  18. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 10:27 AM

    hi megan! reading your sweet comment goes so nicely with my morning coffee, thanks so much! I think we share a tendency to be inspired, bento-wise, by cute and pretty things--stickers, tea towels, chopsticks etc :D
    could there be a more enjoyable hobby?

    haha, given my obsession with food picks, I feel the need to create ones that I can't find ready made! have an awesome and fun weekend, we are supposed to get SNOW on Sunday :O

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  19. Cooking GalleryMarch 25, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    I love the vibrant colour of your bento...! And your Parisian food picks are just to beautiful to describe...:)!!

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  20. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    hi CG, how are you? thanks a bunch and happy spring, my dear :D

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  21. cocyteMarch 25, 2011 at 3:24 PM

    Magnifique bento ! Et la salade de lentilles a l'air délicieuse!
    I love the colors of this french flavors bento! You are so talented !

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  22. BentobirdMarch 25, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    Mille mercis cocyte! honored by such comments from a special bento pal who knows French cuisine by heart :D

    lovely weekend and happy cooking!

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  23. KristenMarch 27, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    I'm so happy to have found your blog neighbor (we're in MD :-). Kir is donating items for the bento for Japan program as well. I'm so excited that so many people are jumping in to help, thanks for promoting the program on your blog.

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  24. BentobirdMarch 27, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Hi Kristen! Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your enthusiasm for bento and bento4japan :D

    Such a witty and pretty selection of items on Kir Devries, a real pleasure to browse!

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  25. tata | bonitafoodMarch 27, 2011 at 10:21 PM

    Envy your sticker food picks >.<
    But your hyacinth and magnolia have taken my breath for seconds, beautiful! :D

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  26. BentobirdMarch 28, 2011 at 7:37 AM

    Hi Ta, how are you doing? Thanks for coming by to visit with sweet comments! ^^

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