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Both chef and prey:

The guy I was dating at the time made me dinner on our third date, which really impressed me and instantly made me like him that much more but I also was intimidated because I have always been the alpha chef (not necessarily the best chef but I like to cook and it is my main skill besides work). Thus, for Valentine's Day later that month, I pulled out all the stops - roast chicken, polenta hearts, spinach with shallots, chocolate pudding. He thought everything was delicious and told me he loved me for the first time that night, yay! I am still the alpha chef but he is great in the kitchen and will make dinner on nights when I am at work late. We got married this past July and in our wedding vows, he told me that he would be my sous chef for life :)

This is a great thread! Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories.
I was diagnosed with anorexia in junior high/high school and had to participate in an outpatient treatment program where people watched me eat all of my meals and I had to have a certain amount of foods everyday. I remember struggling to eat, being afraid of everything, and at meal times, only eating what I considered to be safe foods like raw vegetables, fruit, fat free yogurt, and low fat cereal. If I ate something that was outside my safety zone, I remember having so much anxiety and fear and the only way I felt I could relieve that fear was to run a few miles or do hundreds of jumping jacks. However, 13 years later, thanks to the help of my wonderful parents, as well as the people at the treatment center, I now have fairly normal eating habits, I am at a healthy weight, I exercise and eat regularly, and I love eating out as well as cooking for my friends and family. I am sometimes still so amazed by the way I feel after I eat a great meal - I am happy that I was able to enjoy the food that I ate and I feel at peace. I think my eating disorder, while traumatic, gave me a second chance to re-learn how to enjoy and appreciate good food. Good luck to all of you who are struggling, I feel for you and wish you the best on your journey to recovery and peace.

Oh Zingerman's, how I adore you! As for the care package, these are things I think are essential for every college senior:

Savory items:
- A loaf of parmesan pepper bread (a few seconds in the microwave and deliciousness emerges, my roommate and I can finish a loaf in 30 minutes, tops)
- A loaf of their Sourdough (hands down the best sourdough I have ever eaten)
- A round of Zingerman's Manchester cheese
- A wedge of a Point Reyes Blue
- A wedge of the Artisanal Manchego
- A few pounds of Roadhouse Joe Coffee (one of the best reasons to wake up in the morning).
- A 12oz package of the Arkansas Peppered Bacon (another reason to wake up in the morning)
The Sweet Stuff:
- A loaf of the Cherry Chocolate Bread
- 1-2 packages of the Dulce de Leche brownies
- 4 bars of the Zzang bars (Original)
- A nosher size Chocolate Chess Pie
- 1-2 packages of the Pecan Blondies
I also think this is appropriate for graduate school seniors; I am in my last year of medical school so I hope my family sees this when thinking about graduation gifts :)

I heart mustard too! I used to hate it as a kid but one of my roommates reintroduced it to me in college (he liked to put grainy mustard on a cheddar cheese sandwich). My best friend bought two kinds of mustard for me for Christmas, a blue cheese mustard which is awesome on turkey sandwiches and a balsamic mustard that is so delicious sometimes I just eat it with a small spoon straight out of the jar.

I am also single and often eat on my own. Dinner tonight consisted of: green minestrone (vegetable stock, broccoli, zucchini, leeks, peas, lentils, and garlic), some slices from an Italian loaf bread, mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette, and grapes. Yum!

Thanks everyone for all of the help. I am making passover dinner for a friend and it is her favorite holiday so I am kind of nervous about messing something up :/

I love Chicago! And miss it so much :(

Lula's in Logan Square. Awesome food, amazing desserts. Has two menus, one is more upscale, the other more casual, but no entree is >$30.

The Hopleaf in Andersonville. Great selection of beer, their mussels steamed in beer are really delicious. A really fun atmosphere too.

Cafe Spiaggia. The food is to die for (the gnocchi is particularly yummy) and the prices are very reasonable.

Anywhere on Devon street is also great for yummy Indian food, check out the dessert shops and don't be shy about asking for samples. most of the places are more than willing to let you try different things.

The Happy Chef for dim sum (no atmosphere but awesome food) or The Phoenix for dim sum (nicer atmosphere, food is good, but the service is atrocious). And be sure to stop by Joy Yee's for their bubble tea made with real fruit. (All in Chinatown).

By the way, I love nerds! I am also a U of C Alumni. Have a great weekend!

Just finished a bowl of chorizo, kale, spinach, and tomato soup that I made yesterday, It's slightly spicy, perfect for a cold day in Michigan. Soup is just about the only thing I want to eat when its cold and there's snow on the ground!

Carmelized onions, roasted red peppers, goat cheese. Thinking about this is making me hungry :P

Oh crap! (When I mess up, which is pretty often)

I find that a lot of the comments are directed towards my stove, especially when new friends come over for dinner. For example:
Why is the smoke detector on your kitchen table? (My stove is really old and smoke billows out of it every time I turn it on and it sets off the alarm)
Why is it so hot in here?
When is the last time you cleaned the oven? (Answer: never)

And quite possible my favorite comment ever: You would die if you ever had to go on Atkins, wouldn't you? (The food I like to cook tends to be carb heavy)

So that's what its called! I never knew. I had it once when I was in Tokyo. I was 15 at the time and didn't have much money so I had been eating cold soba all week and was sick of it. My piano teacher, a few of the other students, and I were wandering around the streets of Tokyo looking for a place to eat that we could all agree on when we walked into this tiny place, there was just one counter with a bunch of stools. We had no idea what they were serving but the smell was enough to make us stay. My okonomiyaki was filled with shrimp and topped with the steak sauce and it was the best meal that I had had all week. A very good memory :)

1. 10+ packages of pressed and marinated tofu.
2. A six-pack of Corona that my friend brought over for a party at least 6 months ago.
3. Kroger-brand vanilla ice cream (bought it for a vanilla ice cream taste test last year and none of my friends will finish it).
4. Korean-style hot paste.
5. Yuzu jam from Trader Joe's.

Goat cheese and really good dark chocolate. Seriously.