By FLORO MERCENE
BENTO is a part of Japanese culture and is gaining popularity all over the world. It is not just a daily meal packed in a box, but sometimes is art, other times is a place to express your love to your husband/wife and children. Bento box is filled with joy and pleasure! There are also many catering restaurants and fancy Japanese-style restaurants that can respond to events such as group tours or memorial services where large quantities of and certain levels of luxurious diet bento are required.
A proper bento lunch is crafted with care and should be complete meal with a variety of tastes, textures, and food groups. It is a meal with attention to detail and balance of ingredients. The Japanese are known for their ability to make use of every last bit of space, and lunchboxes are no exception – the meal is packed neatly and tightly into small square or rectangular shape, making it easy for children and busy office workers to transport.
The basic bento in Japan is meant to be eaten at room temperature, and is still very tasty. Japonica-origin rice, generally eaten in Japan, tastes relatively good even when it becomes cold (after cooked). Traditional Japanese bento comes with rice, seafood, and meat as a side dish, and tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables) and is prepared by each family. Preparing bento used to be one of the most important roles for housewives, however, a bento store which specialized in takeout bento or convenience stores emerged in the late 1980’s. In a convenience store, you could request to warm a bento in a microwave oven. Meanwhile, bento has also become available at department stores and supermarkets. These created a new trend of “taking a bento home to eat.”
