Weekend Cook and Tell: Going Solo
Welcome back to Weekend Cook and Tell. Every Wednesday we search through the food sections of various national newspapers and come up with an article or recipe to inspire a weekend cooking project. We want all of you to cook along with us and share your experiences, recipes, and photos.
This week's inspiration comes from the food section of the L.A. Times. Mary MacVean reviewed a fascinating new book by cookbook author Deborah Madison entitled What We Eat When We Eat Alone. It's a collection of stories and recipes based on interviews with friends, family, neighbors, and cooks to find out what they are eating when no one else is around.
Some people (myself included) really enjoy eating alone while others find the prospect of solo dining a bit lonely. There are some who enjoy cooking for themselves and some who can't be bothered and make due with a bowl of cereal or a frozen entree.
This week's challenge is simple, have a meal by yourself. Either cooked and enjoyed at home or eaten at a restaurant. We want you to share what you make or eat as well as your thoughts and refections on eating alone. For those of you who aren't big fans of eating by yourself, take this as an opportunity to expand your horizons and experience the joys of going solo.
Keep us posted over the weekend and let us know what you are making or where you are planning on eating. Show us your photos on Photograzing (make sure to include "Cook and Tell" in your submission title) and tell us about your recipes in Talk with comments on this thread! If you'd like to blog along from home, leave a link to your Cook and Tell blog post in the comments. Next Wednesday we will be posting a round up of your photos and recipes. We can't wait to see what kind of solo dining experiences this weekend is going to bring!
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32 Comments:
I just read this article in the copy of the Times here at my office.
Love this idea and I will try to participate. I usually eat lunch (or lunches) solo on the weekend anyway, by choice, because I love the alone time.
alosha7777 at 6:53PM on 07/08/09
A salad with stuff I love that make my boyfriend cringe: rare steak, barely poached gooey egg, raw fresh chick peas, and a dirty martini.
malecki at 10:28PM on 07/08/09
Oh my. I'm doing this challenge (but perhaps not writing about it) because I have to. My husband is in the hospital, and to make things worse, I've got a nasty cold, which makes cooking and eating a lot less fun. So I'm eating alone whether I like it or not.
So far, I've eaten pork sandwiches (hot and cold) and a pork in barbecue sauce sandwich because I made a roast before he went in and now I've got a huge hunk of meat and just me to eat it. I'm starting to sprout a curly tail.
One night I came home from the hospital and had a bowl of ice cream. That didn't satisfy me, so I had a scrambled egg sandwich. I had the pork for lunch that day.
Tonight, I came home and pan-fried a burger, put some cheese on it, and ketchup, and called it a day. I might nibble something else...or not. But that's all I've eaten today besides coffee this morning and water throughout the day.
Tomorrow I might order a hospital dinner and eat with him. Heck, it can't be too bad if I can't taste anything, anyway, right?
dbcurrie at 10:34PM on 07/08/09
@dbcurrie - so sorry to hear! If you have the time/and or energy to cook some and don't feel like finishing off that roast all on your own, you could use it in a soup, enchiladas, burritos, etc and freeze most or all of it. You could probably just toss the roast itself in to freeze instead.
I'm stuck cooking for one a lot since my bf travels quite a bit and even when he's home, we're not always doing the same thing the whole weekend. My recent favorite meal for one was a tomato sandwich for lunch. When I'm cooking for one for a while, it feels like it takes so much more effort to eat most meals at home, but careful planning does the trick and it's SO good:
Like cutting a chicken in half, throwing half in the freezer, then oven roasting the other half. Dinner 1: whip up say, some asparagus and a baked potato with half the roasted chicken breast and the wing. Then shred the rest of the meat, eating the crispy skin as a treat to yourself for not eating a bag of chips and french onion dip for dinner instead.
Dinner 2: Take half the shredded chicken and use it in this recipe instead of beef for some damn fine tacos (makes about 2), plus some salad and/or chips & salsa.
Dinner 3: Use the rest of the shredded chicken in a soup - I tend to just cook a can of roasted diced tomatoes with onion and spices, blend, add some mushrooms, tortellini, and the chicken. Makes enough for at least one go of leftovers for lunch the next day, depending on how hungry you are.
joyyy at 12:53AM on 07/09/09
@malecki - Your salad looks incredible. Those are some of my favorites!
@dbcurrie - So sorry to hear about your husband but I'm glad that you are eating well.
@joyyy - Wonderful cooking for one ideas!
@alosha7777 - I hope you have a chance to take us up on the solo dining challenge.
Caroline Russock at 1:15AM on 07/09/09
i live alone so this isn't anything new for me. i love to get ambitious with my cooking but since recipes are usually for 4-6 people i ALWAYS have tons of leftovers--it's frustrating.
anyway last night i made braised turkey legs in a sweet potato/mirepoix (sp?)/beer stew. pretty good as lunch today. let's see how many more times i can eat this before getting entirely sick of it!
laurbelle2 at 1:18PM on 07/09/09
@laurbelle2 - freeze your leftovers, then raid your freezer when you don't feel like cooking.
joyyy at 1:25PM on 07/09/09
I live alone and have found that cooking for one is awesome - it means I only have myself to cater to, no one else. I don't have to consider the picky BF's palate, I don't have to think about easing up on things or adding stuff or whatever... it's all about me & my tastes, so everything I make tastes excellent. (I often dine out alone as well - it allows me to focus on the the food and not worry about being antisocial by not following the conversation.)
So far this week I've made cornmeal-crusted pan fried dover sole with dill tartar sauce & roasted broccoli with a kick, a CSA-goodies-box leafy greens spaghetti sprinkled with crushed red pepper flakes and topped with goat cheese, broccoli slaw... more to come.
(BF doesn't eat fish, spicy food, or most veggies... so everything I've eaten would be a pass from him!)
feistyfoodie at 3:21PM on 07/09/09
@malecki Can I come over?
jayveejay at 3:40PM on 07/09/09
@dbcurrie-Hope you and your husband are back to normal soon.
Just last night, I chunked up some pork roast left from Sunday dinner, heated it with a jar of salsa (store-bought, unfortunately) and a can of black beans and served it burrito-style.
If I know ahead of time, I'll shop for the most expensive rib steak or Porterhouse in the smallest portion available, or a nice chunk of halibut. If it's a last-minute thing, I'll have a half-pound burger and pretend it's a ribeye. I'll have a couple of skin-on boiled red potatoes sprinkled with kosher salt and fresh chives and drizzled with butter; if I'm feeling decadent, I'll plop a spoonful of sour cream on top. I'll have a sliced tomato if it's from my garden, or whatever fresh vegetable I have on hand. I'll park myself on the sofa in front of the TV and read.
The son I live with, his wife and kids aren't too keen on rib steak or roast or fish that isn't sticked or deep-fried. Sigh. Where did I go wrong?
betteirene at 3:49PM on 07/09/09
Wow. I guess I'm glad I took a picture of my lunch for the week. Lunch gets eaten alone because I'm home on school vacation and BF is at work during the day. So, I use it as an excuse to make things with tofu (which he's willing to eat, but isn't his favorite...particularly when he know there's meat in the chest freezer).
Amandarama at 4:44PM on 07/09/09
Breakfast each morning and lunch at work most of the time is nice alone-time for me. It's really nice to be able to do what you want to do w/o worrying about the other person/people...eating at my own pace, when I want to, and zone out in my own thoughts.
Can't decide whether to lug my camera to work tomorrow or take pics of my breakfast over the weekend, which will probably be ramen or okonomiyaki.
Cassaendra at 7:02PM on 07/09/09
Hahaha, I am single and living with roommates with whom I do not get along - every dinner's alone!
KarynMC at 8:34AM on 07/10/09
Secret pleasure when eating alone and Boyfriend will not be home later to see the carnage is usually carbs on carbs with carbs. I can't help myself!
mookie at 11:53AM on 07/10/09
Huh? Cooking for just myself is what I do nearly every night. Is Ms. Russock implying that this should be an unusual event? It should be a "challenge"? Though the more affluent among us singles may dine out often, and the less foodwise among us may eat frozen dinners, I would imagine that cooking for just oneself is the norm for millions of people. For a couple of decades I have made breakfast before work and later returned home and cooked dinner. What's the "challenge" here? I don't get it.
Lorenzo at 1:33PM on 07/10/09
@Lorenzo: Check out this thread. I think that many people who live alone often resort to take out or prepared foods from the grocery store.
Caroline Russock at 3:18PM on 07/10/09
I am happily married now and lucky because i love to cook and my husband loves to eat, he'll eat anything exept brussels and liver, no complaints from me! When i was single I cooked all the time for myself. Biscuts and gravy for a saturday morning breakfast, pastas, salads. My favorite was to cook up a big ol pot of green chilli, freeze it in serving size tupperware and eat it whenever I didn't have time to cook!!!
rockymountainmarta at 7:43PM on 07/10/09
Most often than not, I cook for myself. Good thing I like leftovers :)
I actually believe it doesn't matter if you cook for 1 or 2: you still deserve good food! Below are some of my favorites:
1) seared tuna with potatoes and asparagus
2) tilapia, avocado and tomato sandwich
3) avocado salad for one
4) and of course most of the egg dishes work well when you are cooking solo
orchidgirl at 11:09AM on 07/11/09
i just graduated from nyu and live with my roommate, who subsists on readymade burritos and cottage cheese, so i'm always cooking for myself.
two nights ago, i made baked chicken legs with pesto, sauteed onions and mushrooms. yesterday, i made alice waters' avocado and grapefruit salad as a precursor to some alfredo macaroni and cheese. i'm trying to up the ante on my cooking without spending too much money, but it's tricky!
Wayward Daughter at 12:01PM on 07/11/09
@Lorenzo - the "challenge" part of it varies. Of course many people feed just themselves on a regular basis, but if you're used to cooking for others as well, switching to just cooking for one (especially for longer than a few days) can really throw you for a loop as far as shopping and planning. Most recipes are geared to feed 4-6 people, and when you find yourself suddenly only feeding one mouth, it can seem kind of pointless to cook a full recipe for anything. And sometimes when it's just you in the absence of your regulars, you slide on your standards a little.
Yes, you can pare down recipes, freeze things, and get creative with leftovers (see my post above). But when that's not what you're used to doing, it can be hard to figure out what is actually super obvious once you just think about it. It's like writer's block for cooking.
joyyy at 3:15PM on 07/11/09
I ate a dinner last night (Thai) and a lunch today (huge salad with garlic chicken, candied walnuts, other good stuff) that were both solely for me. And forgot to take photos. *KICKING SELF*
alosha7777 at 8:41PM on 07/11/09
For breakfast, I just finished some Wegmans' avocado sushi and sesame seaweed salad. And black coffee,of course!
http://inconspicuousconsumption21.blogspot.com/
HeartofGlass at 7:58AM on 07/12/09
I live alone and LOVE cooking for myself. I can make whatever I feel like - sometimes complicated, sometimes one-pot meals, sometimes sandwiches. I cook a lot of Indian or Thai cuisine at home - usually 3 meals a day. I find the chopping and prep of ingredients meditative and soothing. Once you have the pantry and get used to the techniques, it's not bad and doesn't take long. I cooked and ate in just over an hour tonight: home-made chapattis, sweet & sour bitter melon, red lentil dal and raita.
Plus - the upside of living alone and cooking for a standard recipe is that a) you have leftovers for breakfast and b) you have stuff in the freezer for future "dead tired" nights.
Dcarl1 at 9:36PM on 07/12/09
joyy: regarding cooking for one - I never do it and I live alone. I just cook the usual amount and repurpose the leftovers - risotto becomes rice & egg savory fritters for breakfast; rice gets turned into fried rice; meat/chicken can turn into salads of various kinds; frittatas can be eaten in sandwiches; stews go on top of polenta for another meal, etc. Living alone means you get creative or get used to eating the same stuff repeatedly, which I don't fancy.
Dcarl1 at 9:41PM on 07/12/09
Ended up with a snapshot of lunch at work...
http://cassaendra.blogspot.com/2009/07/alone-again.html
Cassaendra at 11:40PM on 07/12/09
i hate eating alone and will usually just eat cereal or pasta. It's not a "depressed about being alone" thing, i just feel that any food is better shared and any kind of meal or eating loses its excitement when there's no one to eat it with. i also think, as someone mentioned, that it's pointless to waste a lot of time and energy making something fancy for myself. I love to cook, but really only for other people- the joy and satisfaction I get out of it is seeing other people enjoy it. I guess this is all silly and that one deserves good food whether with company or not, but eating a nice meal that I've prepared alone doesn't make me happy, so I don't bother. This weekend my roommate had to work, so instead of making bacon/eggs/home fries/pancakes as we often do, or going out to brunch, I had a piece of cold quiche I had made in pastry school this week. It was fine and served its purpose...
BrooklynBaker at 9:32AM on 07/13/09
@BrooklynBaker: Quiche leftovers sounds a lot better than a standard breakfast. :)
My mother enjoyed creating delicious and elaborate meals for us all the time and ruled the kitchen. I felt like Snoopy - "NO DOGS ALLOWED"
She frequently did the fine dining thing for ideas to create at home for us, but she essentially saw food as something to be eaten to remain alive. If she was alone, she just ate a Jeno's pizza -- well, I shouldn't say "just," since she adored ALL pizzas. This is probably why I dislike pizza and don't care to cook, and always managing to find someone who loves to cook.
Cassaendra at 10:36AM on 07/13/09
For some, it's habit and preferences; for others, a chance to "un-eat" - i.e., eat strange pairings, unhealthy, high fat - whatever....I see lots of cheese, bread and pasta still carrying us through the week, whether we be rich or poor. What on earth tastes better than toasted Italian peasant bread, a cheese board, wine and fruit? Nothing! Except my cheesecake, but I wouldn't eat that every day.
2Burger2Petsi at 11:40AM on 07/13/09
I love cooking and eating. Sometimes (majority) I like cooking for people, but sometimes I like cooking things that I know aren't down others' alley (whether because of weirdness, process or just expensiveness of certain ingredients!) by myself.
Last night, I cooked a lovely meal for myself. I sauteed sweet potato rounds and asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Once the asparagus was done, I layered them on some bread, topped with slices of my FAVORITE local brie I got from our farmer's market (ColoRouge, in Boulder) and stuck it in the broiler. Served with the sweet potato rounds. Mmmmm. So enjoyable.
curlykel13 at 11:45AM on 07/13/09
i've eaten alone twice in the past week, and both times were total indulgence. cheddar cheeseburger escape to the conference room at work, and early morning eggs and sausage at a midtown diner this morning, up at the counter. nothing better! now, off to get my cholesterol checked...
puotinen at 2:55PM on 07/13/09
@dbcurrie - are you sneaking any of your good home cooking into the hospital? get that man home quick....
as far as eating alone -- you're in good company - you should enjoy your meal and be comfortable with the peace and quiet!
pooch at 10:22PM on 07/13/09
Thank you for all of the wonderful responses! I'll be posting a round up tomorrow so make sure to get all of your solo meals in by then. Thanks!
Caroline Russock at 9:50PM on 07/14/09