h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Japanese Food : Bento - A900730
Author: Saturnine - U189219

Thought I had better make use of some abandoned A-numbers this afternoon. Knocked this up in a matter of hours, so all criticism is welcome.

I don't understand the ratios in the first paragraph. Do you mean that the perfectly balanced bento will be three parts rice, two parts vegetables and one part meat/fish? Or am I missing something entirely?

The rest of it looks fascinating and most informative - says he who has never eaten any Japanese food in his life, so can't really comment on the accuracy or otherwise of the content.

No, you're not missing anything. That's what the ratio's were supposed to mean. If anyone else picks up on it, I'll change it...

I've never actually eaten bento, but every now and again I have been delving into looking at Japanese culture. Discovered the other day that my Mum makes some kind of version of it, researched it some more, and was bored this afternoon so I wrote it all up. Came together quite nicely, I thought.

Oh, so confusing just one researcher is good enough for you then. Well to you too...

Just can't be a***d to go and change anything right now.

That part about the ratios *is* a little confusing. Maybe you don't need to describe the ratio of rice to side dishes as you've already said earlier in the paragraph that it's half an half. I'm assuming that within the side dishes, the ratio of vegetables to meat and fish will be 2:1. Is that right?

I believe umeboshi are plums, not apricots... or can they be both?

I don't think that 'waaay' is standard English

"...people eating dried rice during trips" Cooked or uncooked?

I've just done a quick Google image search on 'bento' and there are plenty of pictures, any one of which would make a good link - bearing in mind that the h2g2 House Rules only allow you to link to English language sites

Re : Umeboshi - they are the same thing.

And I'll have a little search around for some good links to shove at the bottom.

All other flaws are amended.

Hi, Saturnine!

Just a quick note about the umeboshi - it's a bit confusing to say 'they're the same thing'.

Apricots, peaches, and umeboshi are three different species of Prunus, so in the West 'Prunus mume' is usually called 'Japanese apricot' but the fruit are often called Japanese plums. It might be a good idea to say or footnote that umeboshi are a third kind of fruit, different from both western plums and western apricots.


Azara

Splendid article: takes me back to my sojourn out there. The Japanese *really* care about food. Do you see a fat Japanese person? Not often.

Recommended
FM

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Well done


Scout

Yey!

Great entry!

See A1084655 for the pending version.

spelugx

Thanks for keeping me up to date spelugx!

No prob