Saturday, January 16, 2010

What do you eat when you’re alone?






Last year {wow, that sounds weird to say} I read a book called “Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone” edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler. I wrote about it {once before}...


It was essays by famous writers and chefs and food critics about what they eat when they’re alone. I found this book so fascinating that I devoured it in a matter of days – thinking constantly about food, cravings and what I choose to eat when I’m alone.


One night while reading the book I found myself eating a heaping bowl of peas for dinner when Curtis was at class for the night. It didn’t seem weird to me at all after reading about the just-as-strange solitary meals of others.


So now, as I prepare to share my house with no one but my dog for a week, I contemplate what I’m going to eat next week while Curtis is away on business. Typically I would hard boil a few eggs, heat up a couple of lean cuisines and I’m good to go, but as i write this, I have a fridge and freezer full of fresh food, so I’m thinking about doing some cooking for myself – something I rarely do the nights that Curtis is away.


a dinner of roasted brussell sprouts and parmesan cheese
puffins cereal with cold skim milk
Sautéed shrimp, lemon and crushed red pepper pasta


The possibilities are endless.


Now the floor is yours – what do you eat when you’re alone? the weirder the better, there's  no judgment here.


{and you have to answer because i believe i read that last week, or this week was/or is national de-lurker week in the blogosphere - so no more anonymity, speak up and let me know you're listening!}

6 comments:

Kate said...

Eating dinner alone...an interesting concept! Hasn't happened in awhile! But if I did I'd probably toast up some fresh bread with butter and garlic and maybe some parm and eat it along with a big salad. Sounds perfect to me.

Amie said...

Oh my goodness, I was just finishing this book and planing on writing about it this week on My Retro Kitchen! Great minds think alike! I thought it would go nicely with Scott being out of town.

My Go-To is always Asian. I like to take veggies, a little fish sauce, soy, leftover chicken, or whatever meat is in the fridge, egg, lots of garlic, ohions..... always Sriracha. Toss it with noodles or rice- yum! OH- and you have to use chopsticks of course :)

CitricSugar said...

It varies.... But I have been known to sit down with a movie and devour a whole box of Honeycomb cereal as a supper substitute, one handful at a time. I think that usually occurs when i'm tired and I know there is no one around to say, "That's your supper??" Usually, I'm more ambitious, even if it's just me.

www.thecrazydaisies.wordpress.com said...

This NEVER happens anymore with kids... if my husband is on a business trip, I usually get carry out or eat leftovers. But when I was single, I used to eat tons of veggie burgers with brussels sprouts, spaghetti with a veggie or just good ol' cereal.

Problem is, if I don't eat a "meal" then I end up grabbing one more thing and one more and one more.... until I'm totally unsatisfied, yet full and feeling sick.

dave said...

i believe it would have to be cereal for sure. hopefully frosted flakes mixed with maybe honeycombs. milk gives me gas, but who cares ,ide be alone.

Me said...

I just got this book for a Christmas gift from someone special <3 who inscribed it (partially) with, "because I knew you appreciate wit and food as much as I do." It's currently my bedtime read.

My alone food has changed over the years, depending on my season. Currently it includes: a spoonful of peanut butter (Jif low-sugar) with mini chocolate chips crushed into it, a bag of European roasted pistachios, or an omelet filled with asparagus, feta and chopped tomatoes.

 
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