Single savionaires, it is a lot of fun cooking dinner for a group of friends, close relatives, or a special someone. However, a lot of you usually find yourself just cooking for one. Unfortunately, too many recipes are written for a serving of at least four in mind. Therefore, you have to adjust the portions of each ingredient, which doesn’t always work out right.
Finally, there is a perfect cookbook that makes dining for one a pure delight. In The Pleasure is All Mine (William Morrow; Hardcover; 256 pages; $24.99), Suzanne Pirret dishes out 100 uncomplicated, exquisite recipes, which are simple to prepare and require no fancy equipment (Translation: You do not have to be the next Julia Child). Each chapter begins with a story based on Pirret’s experiences living in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and is followed by recipes that relate to the story. You can choose to make a simple recipe like Best Mac ‘N’ Cheese or a harder one such as Escalope of Foie Gras with Wild Mushrooms and Aged Balsamic. The Pleasure is All Mine makes cooking for one a true pleasure.
Thema’s Tip: A bottle of 2000 Bordeaux is perfect for a solo dinner.