matcha with me…

Here’s one of the reasons I feel lucky to be living in Japan. Happy Body Balanced Lunch Box is the cute name written across this lunch choice. Where else in the world would I get to eat this at a business meeting? After a morning of poring over pages of reports printed in tiny black characters, each little compartment of natural, edible art intrigued my weary eyes even before it nourished my body. I didn’t even wonder “Where’s the beef?” although there have been days…

How many items can you recognize?

( Row 1, Left: carrot, kelp, devil’s tongue, shiitake mushroom, bamboo, tofu, ginger; Center : bamboo shoots and mountain vegetables with rice; Right: okara (tofu lees) with carrot and shiitake mushroom. Row 2, L: multigrains (millet, amaranth, barley, etc.)  and rice; C: grilled fish; R: rice with soy beans and black beans. Row 3, L:  hijiki (seaweed) with vegetables,  omochi (pounded rice) filled with sweet bean paste; C: rice with black sesame; R: spinach salad,  Chinese steamed pork pastry)