Title: Yum-Yum Bento All Year Round
Author: Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa
Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Food & Drink, Cookbook
Publisher: Quirk Books
Date published: December 27, 2016
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 144
Source: Publisher

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: From the depths of winter to the height of summer, a beautiful lunch can brighten any day. Japanese bento boxes are portable and pretty meals packed with healthy portions and plenty of cheer. And they re outrageously cute! With Yum-Yum Bento All Year Round, you ll fall in love with 52 tasty, in-season lunches. Spring into make-ahead action with packing tips, tutorials, side dish recipes, and more. From summer Sunshine Smiles to Christmas Gingerbread Friends, there s a bento just perfect for your lunchbox today.

– MY REVIEW –

This is the cutest cookbook I have ever encountered! It’s seriously…just…adorable! In addition to being very cute, this book is also made out of quality materials. It is a paperback, but the cover is made out of thicker and more durable paper than your regular trade paperback.

The pages are also thick, glossy, and very colourful. This book would definitely survive a lot of use in the kitchen! I don’t know about you, but I tend to splatter ingredients everywhere when I cook, but with how glossy this book is inside and out, it would be easy to quickly wipe away any splatters without damaging the pages.

I also liked that this book included a “Getting Started” section at the beginning, which discusses the basics of preparing bentos (such as the tools that are used, how to dye rice different colours, and such things). I also liked that Yum Yum Bento was categorized into seasons, because I had never seen that done with any other bento boxes before. I especially enjoyed the little Halloween themed bentos, and I definitely want to re-create some of those!

The instructions for each recipe are also very clear and easy to follow, while also remaining short and to the point. While I am familiar with some of the techniques because I have cooked Japanese food many times at home, I believe that the instructions would be easy to follow even for a true beginner!

I definitely recommend this book to those who are looking for new ideas in creating their bentos, as well as those looking to cute-fy their lunches (or just make them more exciting)!

– ABOUT THE AUTHORS –

Crystal Watanabe is a freelance indie editor since 2014, I’ve edited more than 125 short stories and 30 novels. With an interest in science fiction and fantasy, middle-grade fiction, and young adult, I’m proud to assist my authors in fine-tuning their stories and helping them share them with the world. You can visit her at www.pikkoshouse.com, or send her a tweet on Twitter at @pikko!