Cookbook Review: Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant, and Jenni Ferrari-Adler

One of the most common questions I am often asked is, “What do I cook for myself when I’m home alone?”With my husband away on regular business trips that takes him across the ocean, it’s not surprising to note that I spend a good chunk of the year eating my meals in solitude. What does surprise most my friends, however, is how well I eat during those times. Sometimes, even better that when I’m entertaining a large group of people. The main reason behind this being that when I’m on my own, I tend to experiment and play around more. I can afford to spend that extra hour in the kitchen examining the curves of a gingerroot, or taking in the aroma of lemon grass, and even, horror to most, make my own fresh blend of spices. I know that I have only myself to please, and without another pair of longing eyes peering at me to set dinner on the table, it makes the ordeal quite bearable.

When I first heard of Jenni Ferrari-Adler’s new book, ‘Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant’, I was intrigued. The second I found out it contained essays from a bunch of food writers on the topic of cooking for oneself and dining alone, I knew I had to immediately get myself a copy. And boy, am I glad I did. 

With some of my personal favourite writers like M. K. Fisher, Ann Patchett and Haruki Murakami, this treasure trove of food essays is a welcome relief from the usual array of cookbook tomes we seem to have been flooded with lately. Most stories comprise of the writer’s need to eat simple, comforting food when they’re by themselves, which only proves that no matter how much of a foodie you may be considered, when it comes to choosing your favourites, it’s always the simple that’s most enticing.

The book opens with an introductory chapter from Jenni herself, who co-ordinated and edited the book, and talks about her journey as a student trying to battle the solitude that came with living on her own. She reminded me of the time when I was in college, living far from the comfort and warmth of my mom’s home cooking. Till the time I decided to finally shop for fresh vegetables and try and cook some of it, I mostly survived on toast and scrambled eggs. Not because I didn’t know how to cook, but because, like many of us, I thought cooking a normal meal for myself took too much of an effort, and didn’t quite make sense.

Some of my favourite stories in this book include Laurie Colwin’s love for the eggplant when dining alone, and Laura Dave’s take on how to cook in a tiny New York apartment. I also truly enjoyed the simple writing of Haruki Murakami, who narrates the funny story of a lonely man making spaghetti for one whole year. And of course, being a big fan, how could I not enjoy M. K. Fisher’s essay on how being a food writer results in her not being invited to most dinner parties.

It’s funny to note that many of the writers, have sometime in their lives detested spending time to cook for them selves. Whether we like it or not, most of us have found ourselves eating, if not cooking a meal alone. You may not enjoy it, but find yourself having to do it. And this book is definitely something I’d recommend if you’re one of those who find it hard to pick up a skillet and turn on the stove. If, however, you do enjoy the solitary meal, I would still encourage you get yourself a copy. If nothing else, it would prove a great read over coffee after dinner.

Comments

[Syerah]

What a great book review! I will definitely add this to my collection.

Syerah