The Just Bento Cookbook : : Everyday Lunches to go

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / International / Japanese	4-week checkout	Due 05-11-2024
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / International / Japanese	4-week checkout	Due 05-19-2024

Includes index.
Bento fever has recently swept across the West, fueled not just by an interest in cute, decorative food, but by the desire for an economical, healthy approach to eating in these times of recession. A leading light in the popularization of bento has been Makiko Itoh, whose blog, Just Bento, boasts hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Now, for the first time, Itoh's expertise has been packaged in book form. The Just Bento Cookbook contains 25 attractive menus and more than 150 recipes, all of which have been specially created for this book and are divided into two main sections, Japanese and Not-so-Japanese. In addition to the recipes, Itoh includes sections on bento-making equipment, bento staples to make and stock, basic cooking techniques, and a glossary. A planning-chart section is included, showing readers how they might organize their weekly bento making.--From publisher description.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Library Journal Review
Summary / Annotation
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

bento for grownups submitted by unknown on August 17, 2013, 10:59pm This is the best and most accessible bento box I've ever seen.

Its for grown ups. Chucking out most of the cute bits and hard-to-find ingredients, this book is perfect for someone who wants to have a fun lunch but not make a scene in the breakroom because of a smiley face on a sandwich (not that there is anything wrong with that!).

Most ingredients in the book are easy to find (cherry tomatoes, egg, chicken, etc), and some of the more specialized ingredients (mirin, dashi stock, etc) are available any almost any asian grocery store or online. There are tons of recipes, with pages followed by variations on those recipes, cooking time charts and timelines, and even a glossary of Japanese food terms. Fantastic.

I'm over the moon for this cookbook! submitted by eileenw on June 24, 2016, 7:37am Contains discussions of what shape and size bento boxes to buy and when to use them as well a recipes. The recipes are divided into two sections: those that are more traditionally Japanese and those that are not. Almost all of these lunches would work for adults seeking to pack tasty, balanced lunches, and for more adventurous kids.

There are many full-color photos depicting beautiful lunches (yet you don't have to be an artist to make these bentos!), and each layout comes with recipes for each item packed into the box (usually 3-4 items), as well as alternatives. These alternatives include using different veggies (great for seasonal eaters), and different meats and/or vegetarian options. Even for the traditionally Japanese recipes, the ingredients are easily found in most American grocery stores and the book provides alternatives for those few that may not be so easy to find.

While the author's website of the same name has almost all the same content (and I'm a huge fan of the website), there's something about how this book lays it all out that works perfectly for the way I cook and think about food.

My family already has a few favorites from this book that have become a permanent part of our lunchbox rotation. And there will be many great lunches in my family's future!