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Monday, December 21, 2009
How To Make Your Own Charabento - Video - Wired
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Monday, December 14, 2009
GIANT ROBOT, GIANT PARTY
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Saturday, December 12, 2009
GIANT ROBOT, TONIGHT TONIGHT
Monday, November 23, 2009
WIRED preview
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009
招き猫 balls!
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Fuji Interview FAIL
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Think YOUR Jack-o-Lantern is Hot?
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Thursday, October 8, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
GOURMET 1941-2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Face Food Recipes in USA Today
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Asuka Sakumo's Mini-Charaben
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FFR on Amazon!
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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
NY Observer Coins the Term: Foodiot
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Mameshiba Charaben
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1 cup tightly packed fresh stemmed spinach leaves (about 1-1/2 oz.)
1-1/4 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1-1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups white rice (short grain is better for molding, but long grain will do)
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
F-Train Charaben
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The ingredients:
1. Subway train: white rice with black sesame and sea salt
2. Train details: nori
3. Train windows: white cheddar cheese
4. F-Train logo: carrot and nori
5. Lights: tomato
6. Yellow line/divider: yellow pepper
I filled up the remaining space inside the bento using ingredients my girlfriend and I would eat - all veggie goodies. On top: sauteed lotus root (peel, slice and soak in vinegar water for a few minutes before sauteeing in sesame oil - yum!), cherry tomatoes and some ground faux meat soy chunks. On the bottom: broccoli sauteed in garlic and olive oil alongside three asparagus spears, chopped and stacked at an angle.
This certainly isn't the best charaben around, and I'm not entirely sure I should have gone with the angled train approach...but hey, it was early, I was (and still am) exhausted, and if it's not 100% attractive to the eyes at least I know it will be 100% delicious!
Crossing the Line 2009 Bento Celebration
Friday, September 11, 2009
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
Even Late Nite host (and fellow NYer) Jimmy Fallon digs on Face Food. (or, at least his web cronies do!)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
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Saturday, September 5, 2009
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It's only 2GB - but still, pretty adorable! Perfect for passing along (at least some of) your hi-res charaben images...
Friday, September 4, 2009
Spotlight: Obacchi
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I reported on this little lady a while back, when she was making quite the buzz with her unique charabens of popular record sleeve art (which she has dubbed jacketben). I had the pleasure of sitting down with her (in a Starbucks, of all places) while in Tokyo...
On average, how much time and money do you spend on making one jacketben?
It takes me anywhere from 30 minutes to over 2 hours, depending on the level of difficulty. I think it takes about 500 yen per bento, but I use whatever is in the fridge.
Did you know about charaben before you started making jacketben? How is charaben different from your jacketben?
I always made lunch for myself, but I got bored with the traditional bento, and so I made my first illustrated bento.
Instead of an anime or cartoon character, I used my favorite illustration as the motif. My friends liked it, and so I’ve been doing it since.
Charaben is usually done with a popular or famous character, but my jacketben is not recognizable by everyone, so I consider it sort of underground culture.
How do you feel about the fact that charaben has become so popular and well-known across the nation?
I think it’s an interesting phenomenon. It’s a total combination of cooking and art. I think it’s great for kids to have something creative as part of their daily lives.
What is the most challenging or difficult thing about making charaben?
The most difficult thing is to find the time to make one. I also make sure to choose the right CD jacket and to make it without using artificial coloring.
What tools do you use when you make charaben?
Eyebrow scissors, bamboo sticks, saran wrap
What is the moment that makes you love/hate charaben?
Love: I love it when my friends show appreciation for my work. I love to draw and to make things, and jacketben is part of that.
Hate: I hate it when my job is busy. I can’t make a good jacketben when I’m stressed out or upset.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
BENTO GLOSSARY: BARAN
baran | bahr-an |
:: noun ::
Have you ever ordered sushi and wondered if there is a name for the plastic green decorative grass? Well there is: baran. These little food dividers keep the saucy bits out of your plain bits - just don't try to eat them, ok? Also available in about a zillion other kawaii colors and shapes... many with cute little animals on them.
Mameshiba!
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