Broiled Salmon and Green Washi Bento

For Monday's lunch, broiled Coho salmon with smoked paprika, olive oil and sea salt, served up with radish sprouts, lemon slices, baby romaine, snow pea tops, baby yellow peppers, enoki, blackberries and a kiwi flower. Not pictured: a garlic-ginger-mayo sauce for the salmon.

Picked up most of the fruits and veggies at H-Mart today. I'm in love with the butterfly tendrils on the snow pea tops! The background is Japanese washi in tender greens and pinks...in tune with my late-winter dreams of spring!

Have a great week bento friends, "see" you soon!

Happy Birthday Mozart Bento

This bento is made from elements of last night's Italian-inspired dinner: we enjoyed white roughy baked with fennel in a white wine, butter, and fresh thyme sauce, served with a side of asparagus. "Casarecce" pasta in a light olive oil, garlic, green pea and parsley sauce, topped with reggiano-parmesan rounded out the menu. The subtle, buttery-wine infused flavors were in tune with the wonderful Mozart-fest we enjoyed during our meal!

The upper left square contains a roughy filet decorated with a fennel frond; in the large rectangular section we have a mixed green salad, fennel with thyme, a tartlet filled with wild mushroom pâté, and pasta with peas and green peppercorns added for color and piquancy.

In the sweets section, a chocolate mousse and berry cup, blood orange slices, and a violin-playing kitty in celebration of Mozart's birthday!

Awards!

Thank you sherimiya, Angi, Token, and Kashmirkat for sharing the Happy 101 award with me! You each have such a unique approach to bento; visiting your blogs is a favorite part of my day.

This award asks that you:
Copy the award image into a post.
List 10 things that make you happy.
Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day
Put in a link to their blogs.
Notify the award receivers.
Recipients can link back to the sender's blog if they wish!

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Being married to my best friend, who makes me laugh every day and shares in foodie adventures!

2. Everything related to food, cooking, and bento: shopping for new and interesting ingredients, especially at Asian and farmer's markets, dining at international restaurants, reading cookbooks, trying new recipes,  delving into the rich inspiration of the online foodie community, collecting bento items of all kinds, and of course, the great creative fun of bento-blogging!

3. My friends and the wit, joy and insight they bring to my life.

4. Spring: intoxicating breezes, emerging green buds....and flowers!

5. Cats.

6. Reading--mostly non-fiction: history, cultural criticism, travel, politics, spirituality, food culture.

7. Hot chai with cinnamon, ground cloves and honey.

8. Art museums--favorites include the Met (with Cloisters) in NYC, and the National Gallery and Sackler-Freer in D.C.

9. The ever-changing sky, day or night.

10. Being appreciative of all of the good and joyful things in my life.

I'd like to share this award with the following talented food bloggers:

Sarah Jayne of  Weekend Carnivore

Margot of  Coffee and Vanilla

Flying Lily of  BentoBabe

Azita of  Turmeric and Saffron

Marisa of  All in Good Food

Finally....Thank you Lia of Bentolicious for sharing the "I Love Your Blog" award with me! I love your beautiful bento blog, Lia! Your bento art always astounds and delights :)

Happy bentoing!