Some of you might be aware that I’ve been working on a bento book since June 2014. I've always wanted to write a bento book but I doubt I have time for it on top of my current schedule. I always thought it's an option I will explore one day when my boys are much older and I have more free time. It was only in 2013 after receiving some enquiries from publishers that I started to think about it seriously. However, I was afraid I could not cope with the extra work, so the discussions did not proceed further. In May 2014 when my publisher contacted me, I had the same thought again and rejected them. But they managed to convince me that the deadline for completion was really quite flexible. Since I am allowed to push to the next submission date if I can't complete in time, I decided to give it a go and after almost a year of working on it, the book is finally ready. The reason why it took me so long was because I was trying not to go totally missing online while working on the book. If you have been following me, you would know that I was still sharing my creations as I work on the book. The final few months of compiling the book was the toughest, as I only had time to work on my laptop after my boys have gone to bed. I spent many late nights working on my laptop, it did not help that I still have to wake up before daybreak the following day to prepare and send IT to school. I even wrote some parts of the book while I was on holiday in Japan last year using my handphone, lol. And at times, I even wonder why I had agreed to write the book. But looking back now, I'm really glad I stretched my limits then and I'm really really thankful for the opportunity to write this book.
My bento book basically covers all the bento basics needed to get you started and comes with step-by-step photos for all the charabens and food art recipes. Lastly, I have also included food recipes, so you can cook the side dishes you see in the bentos. The focus is on easy to create charabens/food art, like the usual tutorials I've been sharing on my blog all along. I believe in keeping the designs simple, so that it is easy for you to replicate. So, if you are looking for more complicated designs, this book might not be suitable for you. However, if you would still like to get one to support me, I am most grateful and thankful to you.
I am no bento artist or bento expert, but just a mum who enjoys making food cute for my two boys. And this book is just a sharing of what I have learnt through these few years of making charabens for my boys and I hope you will find it useful. I've also included some of my doodles, you will see them both in the form of icons and photos and I hope you will like this personal touch. :)
I've included some sample pages for you, so you can have a rough idea of what the book is like. There are over 70 charaben/food art recipes and over 60 food recipes. Almost all the recipes are new, never shared before on my blog. However, I've also included a small number of popular recipes that I have previously shared on my blog.
- Bento School Lunches
- Keitha's Chaos
- Loving Lunches
- EasyLunchboxes
- Just One Cookbook
- Yummy Bites by Amy
- Becoming a Bentoholic
- My Epicurean Adventures
My bento book is currently available at all major bookstores in USA, as well as the following online links:
USA
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALANDFRANCE
UK
SINGAPORE
Yeah! We can by it in France :D
ReplyDeleteHi, I chanced upon your book at the National Library this afternoon. Was immediately attracted to the kawaii 3 little bears on the cover :)
ReplyDeleteI love this book. It is so cute and so far simpler than I thought. Thank you! It is just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYay! Also available in The Netherlands at Bol.com :-) LOVE your work, big fan! I spotted your Pikachu Spaghetti last week, made it this weekend and... failed haha
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