Japanese style farewell lunch

Chieko san, connoisseur of Japanese food in Chiang Mai recently hosted a Japanese style lunch to bid farewell our good friend, Kumiko Funaki who returned to Yokohama after over one year working in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I was invited to join this stylist "Bento" party at Chieko's residence.

It was a tradition for guests to bring something for the host, either flowers or anything, on that day both one of the Japanese guests and I happened to give Chieko san the same pink lilly bouquets. Chieko san' s lunch began with pomegranate juice which is believed to enhance blood cells. Aesthetic style lunch boxes arranging on the table featured Sashimi, Tamago Yaki (thick omelette stuffed with Japanese eels), cooked rice with gingko nuts and green beans serving in Sakura shape and Kani Shinjoo.

Side dish was Tsukemono (pickle) of Kimpiri Gobo roots, tomatoes with chopped onion, cucumber with sesame and seaweed. Two more sumptuous dishes were shrimp tempura and Stewed pork with egg, long bean and radish. It took time and efforts to prepare the food which Chieko san explained that it was Tokyo style food. On that day, Chieko san received two large cartons of food supplies from her elder sister in Tokyo so I knew why her "Bento" was so uniquely special.