"sushi" tins

hso · Dec 14, 2001

Years ago I had a pair of stainless steel gasketed tins that were supposed to be sushi lunch containers. They had 2 pivot clamps that held the lids on and they never ever leaked. The smaller was ~2.5X5 and the larger was 4X8. Unfortunately I have no idea where they are; where they came from; or how to get more. Since they would make ideal survival kit containers I'm wondering where you'd find such things anymore?

Thanks.

Mike

akabu · Dec 14, 2001

hso:if you have a Asian community in your area or are visting such an area find out where they go to shop,they have tons of stuff you can use.I go all the time as my Lady and family are Chinese.

Outdoors · Dec 17, 2001

I think they're referred to as "Bento Boxes" (like the lunch specials at Japanese restaurants

). They're usually available in a variety of sizes, and I see them at most larger Asian groceries.

Anyone know why these boxes are metal? I wonder: Do asian offices have some sort of heating tray arrangement for reheating lunches or is it just traditional?

Patrick

Qew71 · Jan 14, 2002

pat

I'm guessing that they're metal coz they're easier to make by stamping. In the post war era, with industrialisation, many japanese went to work in the factories, carrying food along with them was economical..

wooden boxes didn't last as long and the nice lacquered ones were probably too expensive. Plastic in the form of tupperware probably wasn't readily available...

I may be off on some points but I think that theory makes some sense, maybe someone with more historical knowledge can correct me.

Sesoku · Jan 14, 2002

Wow Mike,
Those do sound perfect. If anyone finds an online link to buy these definetly share with the group!!

Outdoors · Jan 14, 2002

Originally posted by Qew71
pat

I'm guessing that they're metal coz they're easier to make by stamping. In the post war era, with industrialisation, many japanese went to work in the factories, carrying food along with them was economical..

Excellent point. I wasn't thinking about the economics of the issue. It just seemed to me that they'd be perfect for some types of reheating.

Thanks, Qew71

Qew71 · Jan 14, 2002

np... I live in Asia, SE Asia to be exact and a log of the utensils at that time were made out of metal precisely for that reason.

I remember when I was a kid, my grandmother would sometimes prepare lunches and place them what's called a tiffin carrier: round open-topped enameled-tin containers about 6" across and about 3" tall, stacked one on top of another 3-high. The top container would have an enamelled tin lid and the whole stack was held together by a simple metal brace. This way you could carry rice in the bottom container and 2 dishes in the top 2 containers. Dismantle the lot and you'd have a table set for lunch.

Melamine plates were rare and enamelled tin was very common. It was used for everything from cups to bowl to wash basins.

Tiffin carriers are hard to find nowadays... tupperware's all over the place. BUT I think the japanese-styled stainless steel boxes can still be found, even here in Singapore.

texascarl · Feb 14, 2002

Lee Valley Tools has the tins we're looking for. They call them a 'Stacking Storage Container System', so use their search function to find that term. 4 stacking circular tins, 4.5" x 2.5", $9.95 USD. Look around while you're there, lots of useful items.