In the kitchen with Suzanne

I am an Atlanta native and chef/owner of a breakfast/brunch restaurant Buttermilk Kitchen. Ever since I can remember I have wanted to be a chef. I have a strong appreciation and passion for food. I love to create and tell my story through my dishes. I recently started a food blog www.suzannevizethann.com

- Life Aspirations

to write more cookbooks, travel more, and work on my blog

- What is a Bento Box / Lunch Box to you?

As a chef I take a lot of pride in sustainable practices. I like that when I use my Bento Box I am reducing waste.

- What do you pack in your TAKENAKA Bento?

I love filling my bento box with fresh salads and sandwiches

- What is your favorite part of our boxes and what colors have you chosen?

I love the design and the storage capabilities. I also love that they have a dual compartment option allowing you to keep garnishes and sauces separate. My favorite color is their blue ice.

Grown Up PB&J with hazelnut butter and blackberry mint salad

Suzanne Vizethann/Buttermilk Kitchen

Ingredients

For the hazelnut butter

● 2 cups raw hazelnuts For the strawberry jam

● 1/2 lb (300 grams) fresh organic strawberries, cleaned, stems removed
● 3⁄4 c (150 grams) granulated sugar

● 1 tablespoon (18 grams) fresh squeezed lemon juice

For the sandwich

● 2 pieces soft white bread, crusts removed
● 2 tablespoons prepared hazelnut butter
● 1 tablespoon prepared strawberry jam

● Pinch flaky sea salt

For the blackberry-mint salad

● 1⁄2 cup organic, fresh blackberries, washed
● 1 plum, washed and sliced thinly
● 3-4 fresh mint leaves, sliced thinly
● 1 tablespoon sugar in the raw

Makes 1 sandwich

Make hazelnut butter by roasting hazelnuts in a 350 degree oven for a total of 10-12 minutes, or until fragrant and golden brown. Let cool slightly. Transfer nuts to a large kitchen towel and use your hands to roll them around and remove most of the skins. It's ok if you don’t get them off completely.

Start making the jam by adding the cleaned strawberries to a food processor and lightly pulsing until pureed. Place the pulsed strawberries in a 4-6 quart pot. Add sugar and lemon juice. Cook over high heat, continuously stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot so the sugars don't burn. Skim off any scum that forms on the top of the surface.

Continue cooking and skimming until the jam is clear and the bubbles are smaller, about 15 minutes. The temperature should reach about 216F. Once jam has slightly thickened, remove from heat, and pour into a heat resistant container. As the jam cools it will thicken even more. Let chill completely before adding to bread.

Make the blackberry salad by adding all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Toss together and let sit for at least 10 minutes, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Add to the top level of your Bento Dual Box.

Blend hazelnuts in a high-speed food processor for 10-12 minutes in 2-3 minutes intervals. You want to do

this in intervals so the nuts and machine don’t overheat. The longer you blend, the runnier the nut butter

consistency will be. Scrape down sides with a spoon or a silicone spatula at each interval.

To assemble the sandwich, spread 1 tablespoon of the hazelnut butter (edge to edge) on each piece of

bread, then add pinch of sea salt. Add jam to one piece (on top of the hazelnut butter) and close with the

other piece. Cut in 4’s diagonally, place in the bottom level of the Bento Dual Box.