Next weekend, excited and nervous.

This might not sound like a big deal to most people, but it is to me. As I've said on this site before, I love Japanese culture, art, architecture, animation, pretty much everything Japanese in general. Well, my aunt got me a bento box for Christmas. A bento box is like a Japanese lunchbox, but the contents can get pretty artistic. In Japan, bento lunches are either very simple, or very complex. Since I'm a beginner, I'm starting simple.

I'm making a special Japanese bento lunch for Jon next weekend. I can't this weekend because I don't have any rice or nori. I know what I want to make him, and it's simple but also kinda tricky.

I'll start with the octodogs. They're basically a small sausage or hot dog, and you cut the bottom so it has legs, then put it in the frying pan and they curl. Then they look like an octopus. Voila, octodogs. After that I'll make the rabbit apple wedges. They're simple, take an apple cutter to make 8 wedges. Then, you take the wedges and cut the peel into a V shape. Remove the shape you cut, and it will look like bunny ears. Then you pull the apple peel ears up a little and soak the wedges in ice water for about 3 minutes so the ears poke up like bunny ears. After that I'll make my ramen on the stovetop, add some soy sauce and other ingredients like I always do. Once it's cooked I'll set it aside to cool and then drain the broth, only the noodles will go into the box. And finally, pig riceballs. These are the most difficult. I'll have to mold the riceballs into a circle, and flatten them a bit. Then once I have them molded, I take some ham slices and cut a circle with little slits in it for the snout, then two triangles to put upside down at the top for ears, with black sesame seed or nori for eyes. I'll also put some clementine slices in there for him.

Sounds complicated, doesn't it? I'm nervous that I'll mess it up, but I'm also very excited. I can't wait to make the lunch for him. It's the ultimate Japanese girlfriend cliche. Wish me luck!