Flash Summit "Free" Lunch

I am always fascinated by things like subsidized or "free" food. This past week was the annual Game Developer's Conference and I attended the Flash Summit. The lunch box included a bag of Sun Chips, a turkey sandwich with a cranberry relish, 1/4 cup of pasta salad, 1/4 cup of caprese salad that tasted like rancid olive oil, a fuji apple, and a cookie. The food was ok, but I had to remove the top half of the bun on my sandwich because it was so thick. Gross!

Flash Summit sub-par "bento" lunch: included in 175.00 USD ticket to conference, paid by my company

Osechi: giant bentos for the New Year

In years past, New Year in Japan would mean closed stores, family get togethers and new year feasting on intricately prepared bentos, designed to last the days before and after the roll over.

By Karn G. Bulsuk

Osechi New Year Bento: Starting at 10,000 yen (100 USD) up to and beyond 100,000 yen (1000 USD)

Osechi, or Japanese New Year cuisine was designed to deal with the fact there used to be nothing on sale during the new year period. Japanese housewives would spend a week preparing foods which could be stored for a few days, and would pack them into bentos for the whole family to eat the days before and after the New Year. I made the small one in the picture above in a cooking class, and it took the entire day even with things already prepared prior to the session.

In modern Japanese, this tradition still exists but many families opt to buy osechi bentos instead of spending time and effort to make them. They normally start at around 10,000 yen (100 USD) and can reach for the sky, especially if the bento is made by renowned chefs or restaurants.

It’s still a nice time to spend with family, and like the turkey of Thanksgiving or the minced pies of Christmas lore, osechi is a heartwarming start to the New Year.