Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Charaben (and Other Food)!

Em to the Oh Oh Cow

2011-11-15T08:38:00.001-08:00

Would you eat in vitro meat? This cute little animation makes a case for what seems to be an inevitable future.

Pac-Man Dim Sum!

2011-09-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

Holy ghost! Check out the truly awesome Pac-Man dim sum from the newly opened Red Farm in New York's West Village. The Pac is made of sweet potato... and looks delicious!

Kickstarter! Help me make the next book (and become a part of it!)

2011-07-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know I have a Kickstarter up, to help in making the new book? That's right – you can help me make it happen!

I'm heading back to Japan in September, but I need help with the travel expenses and everything else involved in book-making. For every level of backing I've created awesome incentives that include (but are not limited to):

$25 – A Kickstarter exclusive e-book + physical copy of Face Food Recipes

$100 – Original bento items bought in Japan + signed copies of the first two books

$250 – Framed travel photo prints

$850 – A limited-edition, hand-bound copy of the new book

$1000 – Your very own face, made as a bento, to be included in the new book

Please head here for the complete details (including photos and a video).

Mouse Radish Simplicity

2011-07-06T05:20:00.000-07:00

Readers Daniel Greenwald and Veronica Liu sent me this cute little radish mouse - a perfect blend of simplicity and imagination. Thanks, guys!

Dragonfish Centerpiece

2010-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

Even in Greenland: presentation is key.

From the flickr of ranx72.

A little late for Easter, but...

2010-04-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

The folks over at Serious Eats have a wonderful set of step-by-step instructions for making your very own ... Peepshi! Think junk food sushi made from the following:

You can see more cuteness here.

Skull Cakes

2010-03-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

Damien Hirst has nothing on these skulls!

Apple iPad Steve Jobs Cheese Head

2010-03-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

With the release of the iPad imminent (i.e. Pre-Order Now!!!), it's safe to say that the world is officially, um ... constipated with all the tech-anxiety attributed to this over-hyped wonder product.

Blogger Ken over at Cook's Den found creative ways to show his Mac Luv: the Steve Jobs Cheese Head. Click here for the recipes (my personal fav: the iPad Thai).

hipsterpets.com

2010-03-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Have you seen hipsterpets.com? It's adorable!

Candy Stop Motion

2010-03-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

High Blood Pressure?

2010-02-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

2010-02-08T04:58:00.001-08:00

Rakka, an artist livin in Bremerton, WA, spent a year on what she calls her Suspect and Fugitive project, where she made an item a day out of unconventional materials. Her most interesting ideas use actual products to recreate the logos designed to represent them. Do check her out.

More Japanese Product Genius?

2010-01-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

Tired of that greasy, not-409'd-often-enough keyboard and mouse? (I know I am) Well, the Japanese have once again solved the problem!

A single button on a plastic clamp that is soft enough to keep one's chips intact. As Seen on TV genius.

Azuki Bean Beard!

2010-01-20T06:52:00.001-08:00

Azuki beans are widely used in Japan and most of East Asia. Whether cooked with rice or turned into amanattō (甘納豆) ice cream, the little red bean paste is generally better when sweetened with sugar. That said, I present to you the photography/art project of Takao Sakai: Portraits of Azuki Beans Beard.

Gross? I wouldn't go that far - but I wouldn't eat these beans, either! Check the site and you'll see that he's thumbnailed nearly 600 images, and they keep coming. Next time I'm in Tokyo I'm going to have to ring him up!

Interested in azuki beans? Try this recipe for oshiruko!

iBBQ

2010-01-19T06:06:00.001-08:00

With everything from charaben guides to virtual pets to the usual exercises in mayhem, the iPhone app gaming world has really found its niche as a tool for the overly bored. Usher in my new #1 favorite app, the iBBQ!

If you've ever wanted to experience the sights and sounds of yakiniku (traditional Japanese BBQ grilling) while, say, sitting on the subway, toilet or even on an airplane some 10,000 feet in the air, well - this quirky game has got you covered in virtual soy. Most unique game feature: You actually blow into the phone's mic to heat up the fire! Weird. The only thing missing (duh) is the ability to smell and taste the meats. Who wants some of the real thing? Corn for me, please!

Check it out, in action:

Happy 30th, Pac!

2010-01-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

2010 marks the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man's debut. In honor of the anniversary, Circle K stores in Japan are selling a limited-edition Pac-Man bun, filled with a (very delicious sounding, I must say) crushed almond cookie and cream custard! Get them now, while you can (and mail some to NYC while you're at it). Available for ¥120 (around $1.31).

New York Wave

2010-01-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

Those of you in Japan: do check out NHK TV's program NEW YORK WAVE for a special mini-documentary on yours truly...airing in early February. They filmed my book release party at Giant Robot, and last week they were here in mi casa for a special bento "party" with friends (whose charaben skills were in full effect - no joke, it was really amazing stuff). NHK also documented the creation of a bento of mine from scratch. Pics to come (once the show airs), but here is a preview sketch of my Desnos as Maneki Neko, um... Bento!

Weirdest item of the day...

2010-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

A charaben...ring?

Available for purchase at SouZou Creation's Etsy Shop.

How To Make Your Own Charabento - Video - Wired

2009-12-21T07:40:00.001-08:00

How To Make Your Own Charabento - Video - Wired

The video I filmed for WIRED Magazine is now officially LIVE on their website. I can't embed it here, so click the above link to view at your own discretion! ;-)

GIANT ROBOT, GIANT PARTY

2009-12-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

Would anyone care for a signed book?

Saturday night was a bit of a surreal experience for me, as you might be able to tell from my pathetic struggle to put it all into words. Miho from NHKTV was on hand (with video camera in hand), filming my every move for the upcoming "New York Wave" documentary. Amazing how a wireless mic (or "wire" as they say on Law & Order) makes your friends uncomfortable (or too comfortable?) in casual conversation. Lots of "check out k-r-t-s music dot com" from Mr. Kurtis. Love it.

I want to thank everyone for coming, friends and strangers alike - especially the strangers with the mad bento skillz. You humble me, truly.

Here are just a few bento highlights:

The Giant Robot logo I made. The cheese/nori combo curls fast under lights.

Mark Batty holding the Mark Batty bento I made.

3D Jar Seascape! Truly original.

Madeline.

Homer Simpson.

Gloomy Bear.

GIANT ROBOT, TONIGHT TONIGHT

2009-12-12T12:18:00.001-08:00

The official launch party for Face Food Recipes is TONIGHT at Giant Robot. I may be biased, but...it's gonna be hella fun. (AND I made two totally original charaben bentos. Pics to come!)

PS: If you have a moment, check out this solid and well-written review from Adventures in Bento Making.

WIRED preview

2009-11-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Face Food Recipes is out making the rounds - and it seems I have been, as well! Just shot a silly how-to video for WIRED last week. Here's a preview:

You can't tell much, aside from the fact that I'm *trying* to look sexy in my MUJI apron. Le sigh.

招き猫 balls!

2009-11-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

These balls beckon you...to eat them.

This image reminded me of the very real importance of package design. If your food must be as bland and as boring as say, a white candied ball - let its wrapper provide the face.

If you're struggling with a bento design it might be wise to spend a little $$ on some "package" inspiration. A cute little box like this one from From Japan With Love could give you the right kind of creative boost in your kawaii food prep...

Wanna party?

2009-11-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

Obama Sushi

2009-11-06T10:58:00.001-08:00

Oh no you di'n't! Oh yes we can!

すし業界の常識を「CHANGE！」した職人 - MSNスキルアップ

via boingbong.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

Fuji Interview FAIL

2009-10-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

FUJI TV was in town over the weekend, and it seems they are avid readers of this blog - for yours truly was asked to remake the F-Train Charaben LIVE! for the Japanese television station's morning news program. Great, right? Well, initially the arrangement was a bust - I had planned on working the weekend and just didn't have time to do an o-bento.

But the charaben gods could not be bested. I showed up for work (where all my files were) only to find the elevator broken. No super. No access through the stairs. No work for the weekend!

This isn't good news, actually - I'm someone who operates based on self-imposed deadlines. Deadlines for books. Deadlines that effect a small publisher that need these books finished to make money in order to make other books...

However, I wasn't about to let my weekend be rained on, so I took this as a great opportunity to wow the Japanese viewing public with not one but two charaben! And here they are:

Laputa Robot

F-Train Redux

Laputa

Robot Body - fried tofu glazed in honey + sprinkled in sesame

Eyes/Mouth - nori

Sun - tomato + yellow pepper

Heart - tomato

F-Train Redux

Train - rice

Train front - nori, swiss cheese, tomato

"F" label - carrot + nori

Rails - faux beef cubes + nori

In addition to laundry duties, my Sunday morning was spent making both of these delicious fellers while fighting off my frisky-when-you-don't-want-him-to-be cat, Desnos. Then, around lunch time, I received a phone call from Adri (MBP PR) telling me the interview had to be canceled.

:-(

Sorry, Fuji, for being locked out of my office. As you can see above, I really was ready and excited for this. Maybe next time?

(I've had better weekends.)

2009-10-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

Milk & Eggs blog be diggin' on some Face Food! Check em out! Buy some tees!

Think YOUR Jack-o-Lantern is Hot?

2009-10-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Villafane Studios, aka Ray Villafane, makes what has to be the greatest pumpkin carvings known to man. Click the link to see more of his mad creations...

Really, though - his work is unreal. This Halloween I plan on expanding the Mameshiba love by trying my hand at a Mameshiba Pumpkin...any other interesting ideas out there?

Des cochonneries, je t'aime...WTF?

2009-10-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard about the McDonald's going into the Louvre...

Thanks, Jake.

GOURMET 1941-2009

2009-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Gourmet Magazine has - shockingly - slammed shut its doors. 68 years in print - Quite a run, no? But word is: staff were told to clear out their desks in just 48 hours. Tough work for those that have spent years with the company, their lives partially stored on company shelves. Respect, Condé Nast. Respect.

Face Food Recipes in USA Today

2009-09-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

Hey, fellow foodiots! Over @ USA Today there is a wonderful little mention of Face Food Recipes - along with a clear inability to fact check! :-) For the record, the "best work" of the book was done by mothers in Japan...I simply met with them and took the photographs! But all that information is in the introduction to the book, and on every page of the book, and...really...um...

Still, the words are as posi as can be and there are some solid sample spreads from the book. Thanks, Whitney!

Asuka Sakumo's Mini-Charaben

2009-09-25T07:21:00.001-07:00

These amazing, uber-kawaii miniature charaben are made at 1:12 scale from air-dry clay. See them (alongside other face food miniatures) at Asuka Sakumo's Etsy page.

FFR on Amazon!

2009-09-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Face Food Recipes - with full preview spreads - is now up on Amazon! Pre-order to your heart's content - I promise the book will be available before the holidays!

NY Observer Coins the Term: Foodiot

2009-09-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

Am I a foodiot? Are you? I certainly feel like one after reading this (silly/funny) article. Per Melissa Clark, "We all have our own inner foodiots. You just have to stamp them down.” [NYO]

Our culture is quickly becoming one that is over-documented, it's true. Some things seem less "real" until they're posted on Facebook for comment or Tweeted into Twit-heaven. But heck, Observer - let's not look to kill those who are over-enthusiastic about food! This can only lead to better food awareness and a breaking of the microwaved lunch mold, IMHO...thoughts?

Face Food Pins

2009-09-23T11:25:00.001-07:00

Who be wantin' one? I have "Laurel" and Ponyo available! Email me.

Mameshiba Charaben

2009-09-22T06:32:00.001-07:00

For a few days now I've been thinking about a Mameshiba charaben - you may remember the post I did a while back on these cute little "bean dogs." Well, last night's kitchen madness led to not one but two of these adorable little guys!

(As you can see I only had tungsten light available at 11pm - ick!)

To get the rice a green color, I made arroz verde, which isn't too hard to do. Here's how:

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs (about 1/2 oz.)
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

In a blender, puree the cilanto, spinach and broth. (Being vegetarian, I used a no-chicken broth, but vegetable broth would work just as well.) Add the milk and salt and blend a little more.

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil and butter, and add your rice to brown - this takes about 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another few minutes. Then toss in the lovely green contents from your blender, stir well, turn the heat to low and bring to a boil. Cover and leave for approx. 20 minutes. Once done, you'll want to stir this gently and cook for an additional 5 minutes, uncovered. Leave this sitting for at least 10 minutes before handling.

The bean shape is pretty easy to mold with your hands. For the ears, I sliced the shape out of a green pepper, cut a slit into the bean rice and stuck into place.

The eyes and mouth are cheese and nori, sliced with an X-Acto. The stars are yellow pepper made with a small star cookie mold.

I accented these bentos with food had on hand: a bed of kale, sauteed broccoli, grape tomatoes, faux chicken nuggets and some strips of (lightly peppered + pan fried) seitan.

The Meat Baby

2009-09-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

via This is Why You're Fat. Disgusting! (and wrong on so many levels...)

2009-09-18T11:18:00.001-07:00

Seems Face Food was mentioned in a comment war over at the Village Voice blog.

Can't we all get along, people? ;-)

2009-09-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Let this be a recorded fact: One cannot eat 1/2 of one 8oz bag of Swedish fish without receiving some form of stomach ache in return.

*ouch*

Also: To the person that can identify the species of fish the Swedish fish candy is made to resemble - you'll receive one signed copy of Face Food! Honest!

2009-09-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

There's at least one reason you should be buying your bento boxes from Kinokuniya - can you see it?

F-Train Charaben

2009-09-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's journey home concluded with a grueling wait for the Brooklyn-bound F-Train - so of course there were the regular annoyances that go along with that: dealing with the sweltering heat inside the 42nd St Station, the confusion of the E running on the F, the over-friendly strangers, the smell of the melting Japanese groceries inside my bag...All these little moments have me wishing I lived with a more efficient public transportation system. (How I miss thee, JR!)

To honor the eve, this morning I woke up bright and early to make this: the F-Train onigiri charaben!

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

First, I created a decorative bed in the bento box using some freshly washed kale. Then I pressed together the onigiri by hand - the roasted black sesame and sea salt was added to the rice when it was still in my rice cooker. With the onigiri placed in the center of the bento, I decorated the front of the car by taking my X-Acto knife to some nori, cheese, pepper and carrot, then with a hole punch I knocked-out those tomato red lights.

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

2009-09-13T04:16:00.000-07:00

Not even the rain could keep the people from dancing at the opening ceremony of the French Institute's 2009 Crossing the Line Festival, which kicked off yesterday in the East Meadow of Central Park. The big draw of the day (for me, anyway) was the bento giveaway at 4:45PM. After a long, stressful ride (with half of the city's crazies) on the uptown 6, my girlfriend and I made it just in time...and as luck would have it she was able to get her hands on one of the prized bento boxes - I, however, didn't get one!

These boxes were two-tiered and put together by top US and French chefs, including Inaki Aizpitarte, Pascal Barbot, Alexandre Gauthier, Michel Bras, David Chang, and Wylie Dufresne. Being the herbavore that I am, I was unable to eat most of this gorgeous food, which was brought to us by Omnivore New York. Still, the egg nog was to die for, and the marshmallow/chocolate chip/corn flake cookie délicieux (really, it had me making noises it was that good).

2009-09-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

Name similarity aside, I'm sort of diggin' on this new plate for children: Food Face. Playing on the same concept of that 80s magnetic face toy Wooly Willy, Food Face is a fun way to present "unappealing" food to children. (Getting them to actually eat their pea "hat" or carrot "eyebrow," however, is far less fun.)

2009-09-10T16:25:00.001-07:00

Even Late Nite host (and fellow NYer) Jimmy Fallon digs on Face Food. (or, at least his web cronies do!)

And who isn't a foodie these days? Maybe it's this naughty US economy and our tendency to cope with one-too-many guilty pleasures - ice cream aside. A few months ago The Economist reported that sales of wine were on the rise, so it only goes that cheese and bread would follow...

Anyway, to Mr. Fallon: Can you introduce me to Mr. Orange, aka Mario Batali? I have a bone to pick regarding this recent obsession with España.

2009-09-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the work of Nico? Seriously...have you seen this?

I took this photo one afternoon inside my tiny Shinjuku hotel room. In the background you'll notice some scattered manga bought from the AM/PM across the street. I was hungry. My love was patient. This Naruto (-ナルト-) charaben was, is, and always shall be amazing. Applause to Nico - Bento Master extraordinaire.

2009-09-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Molds are common in the charaben world - Hello Kitty, Anpanman, bears, hearts, bunnies and flowers for rice, to name but a few; fish, cars, piggies, moo cows and more for hard boiled eggs...I could go on and on, but I'll stop to share this news of the strange out of China (via the Daily Mail and ABW):

That's a pear you see there, and one man in Northern China is molding them into...little Buddhas. Each goes for about $8, and even at that high price they're selling about as fast as they can grow, even being exported into European markets. Molded fruit strikes me as a little too strange a concept (like the square watermelon of Japan). Maybe it's just that I'm grossed out by odd artificiality, pesticides and the like, but still - this Buddha guy is kinda cool!

I will end on this note from Popular Science, circa 1938:

2009-09-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

There's a new Times article that's been making the internet rounds...and yes, it concerns bento box nutrition! Sadly, everyone is posting and forwarding this because of the charaben images...not the written piece! Samantha Storey doesn't mention charaben, but she does touch briefly on the concept of face food:

“I have to make her food look like something she recognizes,” said Ms. Chen, 42, a stay-at-home mother in San Leandro, Calif. “If her boiled egg is shaped like a bunny and it is holding a baby carrot, she’ll eat it.”

With cookie cutters Ms. Chen makes her daughter star-shaped vegetables; and with decorative skewers, a plastic top hat and pieces of nori (dried seaweed), cherry tomatoes become smiley faced, mustachioed creatures.

Her ruse includes assembling each meal in her version of a bento box, a Japanese lunch box, decorated with cute cartoon characters.

It might seem like silly kids’ stuff, but that sense of fun has helped make bento boxes — obentos as the Japanese call them — increasingly popular with grownups in the United States, too.

I wouldn't really call it a ruse - it's more of a method.

Anyway, while I'm happy to see the Times picking up on the growing number of non-Japanese bento fans out there, I'm bothered by the lead-in, which a) is the most interesting bit of the entire article and b) an editorial excuse to use tons of charaben images in the slideshow. Come on, New York Times - you can do better!

read the article in full here

2009-09-05T14:40:00.001-07:00

The Bento Box USB

For you bento geeks out there (you know who you are).

It's only 2GB - but still, pretty adorable! Perfect for passing along (at least some of) your hi-res charaben images...

Spotlight: Obacchi

2009-09-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

Obacchi's take on The Velvet Underground & Nico. Find the recipe here.

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.

BENTO GLOSSARY: BARAN

2009-09-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Japanese programs ~~of late~~ of all time is Mameshiba. Literally "bean dog," the Mameshibas come in the form of, well...any kind of bean there is. These little guys pop out when their victims least expect it, only to dole out random (usually bizarre) trivia. It's just dark enough to be adorable. Word on the street: the show is making its way into the English-language market. (Let's just hope they don't rewrite the trivia for American markets.) Have a look:

Oh, and the big plus to most Japanophiles (and veggie lovers): the merch is great.

GoBuggy's Felt Foodies

2009-09-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Machiko (aka GoBuggy) has been hand-making and Etsy-selling these little felt foodstuffs for almost two years. Originally from Japan, Machiko started making this faux food for her daughter - but now they're primarily sewn and sold as decorative objects. Her "menu" stands out for its dominant Japanese flavor... ginger root, onigiri, edamame... it's all there, hand-sewn and available in single pieces or as sets. Check her out.

Face Food Recipes: Sneak Peak!

2009-08-31T13:25:00.001-07:00

30+ charaben recipes, each with how-to illustrations!

Mark Batty Publisher, November 2009.

2009-08-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

There are two corporations I refuse to hand my money over to (mostly due to bad business practices). One is Wal-mart, that giant out of the Midwest. The other is McDonald's, which has extended its greasy hands into the big butts of every country on this planet.

In Japan, obesity levels are rising - 2 million people were treated for diabetes in 2006, which is double the numbers from fifteen years ago. Still, only about 25% of the population is overweight. Compare this to the U.S., where 65% of us have eating problems. Simply gross.

Wendy's. KFC. Denny's. Mac-a-don-a-ru. These chains have made their way into more than one Japanese neighborhood and because of this - a few charaben designs. TakuPapa's "TFC" from the first Face Food comes to mind, as does this recent design by Sauth, one of the contributors to Face Food Recipes:

Being a vegetarian, I know how hard it is to get by in Japan, especially with the high price of most imported fruits and vegetables. Given the growing availability of cheap fast food options (typically high in calories and trans fats), what is to come of the world's longest living population?

2009-08-30T11:32:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the birthday of the late Michael Jackson, who would've turned 51. In honor of his legacy, Spike Lee (still awesome, btw: Do The Right Thing) disregarded all that is intelligent and civil when it comes to this sort of thing and threw a MJ Birthday Bash here in Brooklyn. (Why ye 'ole city 'o Breukelen? Maybe it's because the "Bad" video was shot here.) Originally planned for Fort Greene Park, the turnout was expected to be so big the city decided it would be in everyone's best interest to pack it all and move it to the much larger Prospect Park - where it seems to be okay (Parks Dept. - score!) to leave loads and loads of trash everywhere. I'm not directly across from the park or anything, but I can certainly see it out my window. The Post originally reported a turnout of at least 10,000. That number seems a little high to me, but wow - I could totally hear Billie Jean in the distance as I took my late morning shower.

In honor, I sketched what I'm calling my Billie Jean Bento.

With these as inspiration:

I made this:

background: rice dyed with black sesame seeds

shoes/pant legs: nori

fancy socks: white rice

lit square of concrete: any white cheese

road rolling off into the distance: fishcake + nori

2009-08-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

This seems to have been swept completely under my proverbial rug: Face Food was named one of the top 10 books of 2008 by ARTMOCO, a fine little blog uploaded out of Quebec (a place I'm still eager to visit). Anyway... Thanks! I'm honored.

Regardless of what you might think of the book, you should really check them out because they led me to this:

A life without precariously balanced CB2 and JCrew catalogs on the lid of my little Simply Human trash can?

Sheer genius!

+ snowtone.com

BENTO ALBUM ART

2008-09-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

The overexcited commentators over at Pitchfork recently ran a post on a Japanese bento artisan who's been redoing all of his favorite album covers as bentos. What a find! His site, Jacket Lunch Box, is dedicated almost exclusively to this audible-cum-edible addiction.

His site is loaded with examples, both in video and still form. If you have time to kill... (Ed: nevermind the fact that he seems obsessed with Rage Against the Machine!)

2008-07-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm blushing a little today (red food coloring on white rice face... ok, I'm soooo not funny...) at the press that's come my way (or, I should say, Face Food's way) lately. Yesterday a friend pointed me toward a review (below) in this month's FADER... which is the most down-to-earth critical quip I've read so far.

And today I came across another all-too-positive review in GRAFIK. Woah... I love that mag. Wish I had a scan of it... but they never sent me a copy! If you're at a newstand, do check it out. (It's the PINK issue!)

MarseillePLUS

2008-07-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

France is au dessus in the battle for the #1 spot of Countries That Love Face Food. Ok... this isn't an actual category, but the book is performing well there! The love affair between France and Japan continues on... even in bento form. This quip is brought to you by the letter F, and the magazine MarseillePLUS, who recently ran a piece on the book. C’est le dernier cri!

mi emoción con los almuerzos bento decorados...

2008-07-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Hola! Nanay over at It's A Typical Situation blog has a post up of her recent charaben creation, featuring Cartoon Network's grim duo, Billy & Mandy! Check out her blog, Spanish speakers...

In Italy!

2008-05-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

Ambra, in italiano, has posted about Face Food on her blog. Check it!

Le Blog Cook'cotte

2008-05-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

I don't know about the "head of broccoli" pun, but the blog for Paris's Bienvenue à la Cocotte has something up on Face Food. Give them your French love here.

Tim Anderson on Face Food

2008-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Though he spelled my name wrong (forgiveness, forgiveness...) Tim Anderson wrote some lovely words on Face Food over at his blog, Media Studies Gateway. I'd like to share a passage of it here:

I have often wondered about the symbolic terrain of the logos and brand imagery but it wasn't until I saw this book that I think it really hit me that the possibility of affective connections that can be created through the reproduction and digestion of such material. The child and adult who consumes these faces must, at some level, do so with a level of care that must resonate throughout their psyche. What it means that these are symbols that are not necessarily generated by contract, but rather by fans (or parents of fans) suggests a deeper level of affective attachment, one that I had not considered before. Why I hadn't is clear to me. On my fifth birthday I clearly remember asking my mom for a "Batman cake", which she did as best she could. It's one of the better memories of my childhood, one that, if I am lucky, won't go away any time soon. I miss those cakes, my TV show lunchboxes and my mom, all of whom swirl together in memories of TV shows shared and time spent at tables in cafeterias, birthday parties and first communions. For better or worse, these mediated images of Christ, Batman and Family cannot be disaggregated, nor would I want them to be.

Tim touches on religious ritual and its association with imagery/food, something I've never really thought about until now. The Last Supper... First Communion... Catholic or otherwise, religions are borne out of image incorporation and idol "ingestion." Religious meals can symbolize rights of passage, markers for our own maturity. Charaben, in many ways, represent the wide-eyed splendor, the anything-is-possible dreamlike innocence of youth - albeit a branded representation of this idea. But one can't really hate on using the image of a Powerpuff Girl, a Mickey Mouse or Goku-san... these characters, all corporate-owned and copyrighted creations, are no different than a generic image of a deer, puppy dog, or what have you - at least when it comes to charaben. The great thing about charaben is the time/skill involved in making them, something no machine or corporation could duplicate (at least not yet). It's the care involved in their creation that really sets these bentos apart; the end result is simply the icon in our memories, the marker left to remind us of our parents' love, care and charity.

Nesting Pooh

2008-05-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this charaben on the blog circuit, and was immediately struck by the adorable notion of the bento box itself as a "nest" for this cute little sleeping Pooh. It's not often that the charaben artisan uses the box itself as a "prop" in the mise en scène de nourriture, so I feel the need to call it out: who has seen, or crafted, a charaben using the bento box as "object?" What other scenes/backdrops might a bento box represent?

Franco Face Food!

2008-05-03T09:48:00.001-07:00

For you French-speaking bento lovers out there, Cocooking.fr has a review up on FACE FOOD. Check it out through the jump.

Face Food on Core77

2008-04-14T16:05:00.001-07:00

Long time no blog! I know, but things have been hectic here in the Big Apple... I promise more and more charaben images in the days to follow. But for now, please read this great review from the folks over at Core77, one of the few blogs I read on a daily basis. Kudos!

Chew On This: Tuesday

2008-04-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

When it debuted as an original series in 1998 (wow, that long ago!), The Powerpuff Girls breathed new life into animated programming, flying alongside other Cartoon Network hits like Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, and the underrated Courage the Cowardly Dog. (If you recall, the all six shows first appeared as shorts on the program World Premiere Toons.) It was/is an American's hyperactive take on tokusatsu, with a wicked sense of humor and an inventively minimalist/mod style. I remember loving it, though I don't know how I'd feel about it now... or is this simply another case of The Weezer Factor? (i.e., was I even right about loving it then?)

Ok, all doubt has been erased by this pic - The Powerpuff Girls were, are, and always will be freakin' awesome. (Much like the first two Weezer albums...)

Let's see what Buttercup has to say:

Youtube-thumpin' aside, Makiko Ogawa created this charaben, a perfect likeness of our fav little ladies, imho:

This image © MAKIKO OGAWA.

Now if only someone would make a charaben of Billy and Mandy... *nudge nudge, wink wink*

Face Food on KCRW!

2008-04-01T09:10:00.001-07:00

I had the intimate pleasure of speaking with Good Food's Evan Kleiman last week, on the NPR affiliate station KCRW in Santa Monica. What a treat it was to be on the radio again!

Listen to full broadcast, or download the podcast here.

Chew On This: Tuesday

2008-03-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Finally, a Chew On This entry we can all agree on: Smile's spring bunnies! Have a gander at these cute and (mostly) delicious little things...

Sample 1: White Rice Bunny with Bunnish Smile.

This image © SMILE.

Sample 2: Spring Colors Bunny. The detail of the little chick in the egg... so adorable!

This image © SMILE.

Sample 3: Excitable Bunny on Rice with Clovers.

This image © SMILE.

Sample 4: In all honesty, this one might be a squirrel.

This image © SMILE.

Smile (aka Fumie, but you didn't hear that from me) is a Tokyo local with a love of obento design. She really is awesome!

See more of her work here. (Sorry, the site's in Japanese only!)

Chew On This: Friday

2008-03-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

There are two American charaben artisans profiled in Face Food, and they certainly outdo themselves in terms of creative food manipulation. One such success is Mari Baker Natakiya of Athens, Georgia (...of all the wonderful places!).

This image © MARI BAKER NATAKIYA.

I asked her a few questions for the book, so here's a taste:

Why do you think so many Japanese mothers make these obentos?

I don't know that I can truly answer this question. I think perhaps that every mother has a different reason for making obentos. And, at least for me, it can change day-to-day depending on whether my daughter is sick or upset, happy or sad. In general, I would guess that it is because bentos and the personalized decorations are such a sweet way to remind children that they are loved and have their mother's full support even when they can't be right there beside them.

More time than money goes into my bentos. Often I will make huge batches of food and freeze them which cuts down a lot on both the time I spend on individual bentos and the amount spent on food. When I am making three very decorative bentos at the same time I can spend as much as an hour to an hour and a half. Usually it takes me about thirty minutes to put three bentos together.

What separates this from an attractive-looking arrangement of food in a box?

That's a difficult question. I think maybe I would say that bento making is a hobby. Because the bento boxes, accessories and ideas make it such a special, enjoyable and creative expression of individuality it becomes more than just making a lunch. There is this great feeling when bento boxes are pulled out, a lot like when special plates come out for holidays. Bentos are completely unique and suited exactly to the tastes and needs of individuals and that makes them almost magical.

Chew On This: Thursday

2008-03-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

Now here are two charaben I can really get behind the table for: Le Petit Prince and Tin Tin, two of Europe's most cherished children (as opposed to _____ or _____ ). Which would you rather swallow? (...and don't be dirty-minded, please... kids are looking at this stuff!)

Face Food in Greece & Italy!

2008-03-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

Face Food is making its rounds around Europe. Huge, multi-spread articles were recently published in the Italian magazine, Flair, as well as the Marie Claire of Greece. How awesome is that!?

Ohhhh Greece, how I'd love to come show you the ways of the charaben!

Here's the same idiot checking out both featured articles:

:-P

Chew On This: Wednesday

2008-03-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

The following are charaben by Maiko Nihei. They're both Power Rangers, but... I honestly don't know a thing about Power Rangers! (...aside from what Wiki tells me, and we all know not to believe anything one reads on Wiki, right?? *smiley emoticon*) When I first saw Power Rangers (...god, the 90s!!?) I singled it out as an Ultraman knock-off and never really gave it a proper chance...

Does anyone know the difference between Rangers? Which would you rather chew on? I call dibs on the Pink Ranger!

(retro ooo la la!)

JUXTAPOZ MAGAZINE ON FACE FOOD

2008-03-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine did a nice little write-up on Face Food yesterday. Take the jump and check it out!

Papaben AKA Takupapa Interview

2008-02-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

The above image was one taken during my lunch with Papaben (aka Takupapa) and his son, Takkun - two of the cooler bento wiz's featured in Face Food. (As you can see above, I'm being presented with my Mario w/ raccoon tail bento, an image taken from the box of Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers 3... how freakin' cool is that!?) Active on the Tokyo bento blog circuit, Papaben approaches his charaben designs with a cool air of worldly confidence and just a pinch of dry wit. See further examples in the book... for now, here's some nuggets from my interview:

Since when and why did you start making Charaben? How often?

Since April 2006. My wife was hospitalized for some time, so I started making obento in place of her. About four times a week.

Who do you make Charaben for? How is his/her response?

I make them for my son in kindergarten now. He used to love anything I make, but now he is happy only when I make a character that he likes. He seems to have had enough.

This image © PAPABEN.

On average, how much time and money do you spend on making one Charaben?
Varies, from 30 minutes to 4 hours. About 200 yen.

Describe a typical Charaben-making day’s schedule.

The day before I come home at 12AM and spend 1-3 hours preparing the character. I wake up at 8 and make the obento in 30 minutes. I photoshoot for 5 minutes and give the Charaben to my son who leaves home at 8:50.

How do you choose which character to make? Which character is your favorite?

I choose characters that my son knows. The easiest characters to make are the characters with big parts and less lines.

The biggest challenge is choosing the character. I am careful about nutritional balance and visual color coordination.

What do you think draws people to Charaben?
Seeing children smile!

List the following three in the order of importance: nutrition, taste, and visual.
Nutrition, visual, taste.

What is the moment that makes you love/hate Charaben?
I love Charaben when I see my child with a big smile on his face.
I hate choosing the character to make the night before.

This image © PAPABEN.

What is Charaben to you?

Charaben is a collection of precious times I spent with my son. Each and every Charaben has an episode, and I hope they will become good memories when he grows up.

JustBento.com Gets Some Face Time w/ Face Food

2008-02-16T13:42:00.000-08:00

There is a positive review of my book over at JustBento.com, a "site about making tasty, quick and healthy bento box meals." It really is a well-informed blog, and worth the daily visit (if you're that into bento boxes, that is...).

The article's writer, Maki, nutshelled Face Food as such: "The book is not really a how-to book, but rather a sort of pocket sized coffee table book... but the most interesting text is the introduction and the too-short questionnaires with a few of the bento creators... a nice intro to kyaraben."

Ok, I'll bite: you really like it for what it is, and that's cool... Thanks, Maki!

And, as if she needed further Kawaii Points, Maki and JustBento.com are raffling off their advance copy of the book... to one lucky commenter! So jump over to the site and leave your info before the deadline: this Tuesday, February 19th.

Kawaii bento heads!

LOST (YOUR APPETITE?)

2008-02-15T06:19:00.000-08:00

If anyone missed last night's Lost, hit up iTunes: it really was one of the better episodes I've seen, and proof that this season (though short... thanks, Writers Guild of America!) will continue to deliver.

On other J.J. Abrams-related topics, the rumor mill is churning for the new Trek feature:

Alternate realities?

Klingons?

(two Trek posts in one week? Ouch.)

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

I love you all... in that way. :-P

Waiter, There's a Hair in My Potter!

2008-02-14T10:37:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty outspoken in my detest for the Harry Potter series (I just think there are loads and loads of better books out there (esp. for adults... yes, I said it...), all of which should garner just a spec of the sort of attention Potter commands, etc.), but I can't deny the numbers, and the world-wide fanaticism is simply impossible to ignore. Even in charaben, we have Potter. Face Food contributor KUBO sends me these from her vault:

Don't get me wrong: I'm not against immature prose, or even geekdome for that matter. I just have a hard time following the exploits of a little boy as he fights off magical owls instead of the pangs of his own sexual maturity. F*ck... read Huckleberry Finn for cripes sake... or, ok, this is the fantasy genre we're talking about... and for an audience of "young adults." So how's about R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms series involving Drizzt Do'Urden? Those are loaded with mature themes, and are a hoot to read. But back to Potter: it all looks great as charaben, no? Albeit just a tad creepy.

And for the geek record: I own an original box set of Choose Your Own Adventure books, and the first two seasons of the original Star Trek on DVD. Ouch. Where the heck is my Spock bento, eh!!!????

PHOTOS.COM on FACE FOOD

2008-02-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

Interesting from dietary and cultural perspectives, yes, but ultimately these carefully constructed meals are driven by the same passion that lies at the heart of all truly great design. Thereby serving as yet another reminder of what makes anything we do worth doing—love.

Some very kind words via Chris Dickman's Photos.com blog. Thanks, Chris!

The World According to Junko

2008-02-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

Mother Q: Ok, you can use my Hello Kitty bento images but I want written permission from the Sanrio Company so I don't get sued... please have your lawyers contact me at the following...

Mother P: Thanks! I'm so so happy you want to use my charaben in a book in America! I have always dreamed of New York City! Unfortunately I have no high resolution images... will that be a problem?

Mother X: My fees will be $1000 per image for international rights, etc etc...

Compiling images for Face Food was an exciting yet disheartening process. Not every charaben expert responded to my messages, and some (after an initial contact) disappeared off the face of the earth.

One such Japanese blogger was Junko Terashima. Her designs, which have a surreal angle and distinct Western influence, would have brought a little more of the absurd into the book... unfortunately, Junko failed to get to me in time for printing... but thanks to the web, she'll still turn stomachs with her unique takes on the bento. I still loves ya, Junko!

MUKU Interview

2008-02-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

With Face Food, I was enamored by the passion-play process that goes into the making of charaben. Notwithstanding the heart's natural ego, every artisan was eager and willing to work with me, and to share their own photographs, designs, ideas and personalities. One such friendly face was MUKU. Here is an interview I did with her while in Tokyo. (Note: the images within this article are all ones that failed to make the cut of the book!)

Since when and why did you start making Charaben? How often?
Since about 1.5 years ago, to lessen my daughter’s dislikes. I make them almost everyday.

Who do you make Charaben for? How is his/her response?

For my daughter, who is always delighted to see them. She is now more interested in food and eats anything I make.

On average, how much time and money do you spend on making one Charaben?
About 30 minutes. Less than 200 yen.

Describe a typical Charaben-making day’s schedule.

I make a drawing the night before. I wake up at 6 and finish making Charaben by 7. I have two daughters so I always make two.

How do you choose which character to make? Which character is your favorite?
Whatever my daughers’ want. Disney princesses, Lilo & Stitch, Pokemon, Hello Kitty

This image © MUKU.

What is the most difficult/challenging thing when making Charaben?

I always try to make Charabens that not only look nice but are nutritional also. Characters with small and complicated parts are hard to make.

What do you think draws people to Charaben?
That Charabens make children happy.

This image © MUKU.

List the following three in the order of importance: nutrition, taste, and visual.
All are the most important. A good Charaben has all of these three.

What is the moment that makes you love/hate Charaben?

Love: My daugher eats everything and anything that I make, which I enjoy making also. I was once on TV for making Charaben!

Hate: When it just doesn’t look like the character my daughter requested.

What is Charaben to you?

Charaben is a way of communication between a parent and a child. I started making Charaben for my daughter, and now I talk with her more, mostly about food. She makes suggestions as to how I should make the character, for example. She now eats even the vegetables that she used to hate. Now that I am on TV sometimes making Charaben, I am more serious about it, and I hope to continue improving my skills.

From Naruto to Love Target! Nico Inspires!

2008-02-05T12:13:00.000-08:00

A Japanese anime site posted a small how-to for a character bento, due to increased popularity of charaben among anime fans. (From one impassioned item to the next, right? Even easier when you can meld together themes, characters, graphics...) This particular otaku blogger proclaims that "yes, as if painted onto a palette, a lunch box gets decorated with food... as an otaku, as an otomen... I shall give it a try. So I made a charaben last night... though it is so pathetic."

His humility intact, the end result would most likely fail to turn heads at your local school cafeteria, but it's a unique opportunity to compare the original inspiration (a charaben of Naruto):

with the blogger's own attempt, of two of the boys from the manga Love Target:

Interestingly enough, the Naruto charaben appears to be a design of Nico, one of the artisans featured in Face Food. Further proof on the difficulty making charaben!

2008-02-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

This site is relatively fresh, but I will do my best to maintain it as a definitive resource for charaben fans, since such a site seems to be lacking on the English language side of the world... that said, please bear with me as things shift and adjust. But do check in daily for regular charaben links and visual samples!

Just released! Face Food!

2008-02-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

"Lunch and cartoon characters have never looked so good together..."

Read what MBP has to say about Face Food:

"Dating back several hundred years, the Japanese bento box is as integral a part of the country’s culinary identity as sushi. Today, a contemporary version of the bento box exists, inspired by the rampant popularity of movies, television shows and manga. These charaben, made by parents (mostly mothers) eager to bring attention to their children’s lunch boxes, comprise food crafted into visually creative, appealing and recognizable forms, and are as much about planning and preparation as nutrition.

What better way to make children eat than to turn their midday meals into cartoon characters and video games? With Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes, writer and designer Christopher D Salyers documents the very real phenomenon of how rice, seaweed, mushrooms, tofu, hot dogs, fish cakes and just about any other edible delight you can imagine are shaped into the likes of Pikachu, Daraemon and Cinderella, bringing health, heart and imagination to the bento box, not to mention a bit of one-upmanship. A brief how-to guide, ingredient lists and interviews with charaben enthusiasts illuminate the many dynamic reasons behind this wholly Japanese pursuit.

As Salyers writes: “There is something marvelous and enchanting in charaben, a something we should all look to find within ourselves - a convalescence of youth. For all of you who have ever eaten or prepared a slap-dash PB&J sandwich, or have been victim of school cafeterias, I offer up these pages as proof that when you show this much dedication to what you or your child eats, the end result will be nothing short of astounding.”

If you have never seen or tasted charaben, Face Food will open a whole new world to you, proving once again how the visual can say so much about a culture and its practices."