Single Serving: Solo Suppers (Betty's Book Review)
Hello Food Fans!
My involvement in the blog has been anything but consistent this summer. I think calling it sparse is being too nice. But in any event, I am back and I thought my return post would complement Wilma's recent love of all things single by reviewing a cookbook for solo chefs.
As you may know from reading older posts, Wilma and I visited Portland, Oregon where we ate some of the best meals of our lives. Therefore, it is no surprise that while in Portland I purchased one of my favorite cook books from the world famous Powell Books. If you are not familiar with Powell, let me tell you that it is one of the coolest bookstores I have ever visited. The store encompasses an entire city block. Powell prides itself on being an independent bookstore with millions of new and used books at competitive prices. Despite its size, it was fairly easy to navigate the book categories. It was my mistake I ended up by the cookbooks. I was actually trying to find Wilma and the Great Gazoo at our meeting place when I took a wrong turn by the children’s books. And to my benefit, I found a great book by Joyce Goldstein called Solo Suppers.
Wilma is right! Singles are an overlooked market. Singles are one of the fastest growing segments, according to Joyce, representing about twenty seven percent of the U.S. population. As most of you know, cookbook recipes are designed to feed four to six servings. What about the single servings? Well here is a book that shows you how to cook, shop, and reinvent meals to eliminate throwing out food. All of her recipes begin with a personal connection to dish and a lot of them share a way to transform the dish or make substitution according to pantry. This book provides tips and advice along with over a hundred recipes that making cooking for yourself simple and inexpensive.
One of my favorite dishes is the “Spaghetti alla Carbonara,” on page 72. It could not be easier to make. All you need is pasta, an egg, parmesan cheese, pancetta or regular bacon, and your basic salt, pepper, butter, and olive oil. Now I know what you may be thinking - sounds like a heart attack – and I would not recommend that this be a staple in your diet. However, it is a great comfort food that you can make without going out to the grocery store and little prep/cooking time. What attract me to this dish, besides it’s delicious picture on the cover, was the personal connect Joyce shares in the beginning of the recipe about her first time eating spaghetti alla carbonara in Rome. That image surrounded me as I was making the dish.
So check out Solo Suppers. I hope you enjoy it like I have. Also, if you know of any other cookbook, websites, articles, etc. related to the solo chef, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Hello Food Fans!
My involvement in the blog has been anything but consistent this summer. I think calling it sparse is being too nice. But in any event, I am back and I thought my return post would complement Wilma's recent love of all things single by reviewing a cookbook for solo chefs.
As you may know from reading older posts, Wilma and I visited Portland, Oregon where we ate some of the best meals of our lives. Therefore, it is no surprise that while in Portland I purchased one of my favorite cook books from the world famous Powell Books. If you are not familiar with Powell, let me tell you that it is one of the coolest bookstores I have ever visited. The store encompasses an entire city block. Powell prides itself on being an independent bookstore with millions of new and used books at competitive prices. Despite its size, it was fairly easy to navigate the book categories. It was my mistake I ended up by the cookbooks. I was actually trying to find Wilma and the Great Gazoo at our meeting place when I took a wrong turn by the children’s books. And to my benefit, I found a great book by Joyce Goldstein called Solo Suppers.
Wilma is right! Singles are an overlooked market. Singles are one of the fastest growing segments, according to Joyce, representing about twenty seven percent of the U.S. population. As most of you know, cookbook recipes are designed to feed four to six servings. What about the single servings? Well here is a book that shows you how to cook, shop, and reinvent meals to eliminate throwing out food. All of her recipes begin with a personal connection to dish and a lot of them share a way to transform the dish or make substitution according to pantry. This book provides tips and advice along with over a hundred recipes that making cooking for yourself simple and inexpensive.
One of my favorite dishes is the “Spaghetti alla Carbonara,” on page 72. It could not be easier to make. All you need is pasta, an egg, parmesan cheese, pancetta or regular bacon, and your basic salt, pepper, butter, and olive oil. Now I know what you may be thinking - sounds like a heart attack – and I would not recommend that this be a staple in your diet. However, it is a great comfort food that you can make without going out to the grocery store and little prep/cooking time. What attract me to this dish, besides it’s delicious picture on the cover, was the personal connect Joyce shares in the beginning of the recipe about her first time eating spaghetti alla carbonara in Rome. That image surrounded me as I was making the dish.
So check out Solo Suppers. I hope you enjoy it like I have. Also, if you know of any other cookbook, websites, articles, etc. related to the solo chef, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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