Obento

Today in class we had our first hands on kitchen activity. Today’s project was making Japanese obento boxes. Once again I have limited cooking experience in this subject. However, I do have lots of experience eating bento. For 10 years, I have played squash. Right next door to where I play there’s a bento stand that I have become quite fond of over the years. I have been eating bento from that stand since I started playing. I get the same thing every time. The bento stand’s bento is nowhere near as elaborate as what we’ve studied in class. The stand’s bento is more of an Americanized version as you have your choice of chicken, beef or grilled vegetables on a kabob served over rice with the option of teriyaki or sweet chili sauce. I always order chicken with teriyaki on the rice but no chili sauce. Preparing the obento boxes in class was much more difficult than it looks. I tried to make a face in my box but it came out rather frightful looking.














I was fascinated to read about the meaning and symbolism behind the obento. I had no idea that the crude version I eat of this national meal was so important. I found the care and work that goes into those boxes so impressive. To make one of those for your children each day would require great care and detail not found in the typical American children’s lunch of sandwiches and other such foods. The obento boxes also serve as symbol of both what the child should rise to in his or her life and a mother’s love for her children. I also found it funny that the teacher of the students would critique the boxes of the children.

For me, bento also has tradition and meaning of its own. Not only did my mom buy bento from that stand when I was younger after my squash practices but I also have another food tradition involving bento. A friend and I buy bento at that stand and then take it up into Washington Park (a large park in Portland) and eat bento at the same table each time. Bento and obento boxes are a perfect example of how food can be so much more than just refueling your body.