Party of one

Cooking for four, or more, may well be a lot of work but the rewards are often just as abundant. From help with preparation and/or clean-up to the simple act of sharing a good meal, and conversation, amongst loved ones... the pros definitely outweigh the cons!

Breaking bread and sharing the bounty is after all one of the simplest joys of life. Even Yeezus agrees.

"When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed."  
Acts 20:11, King James Bible, Cambridge Edition

But back to my party of one.

Living alone, there is literally no one to break bread with. Prepping, cooking and eating solo becomes a daily chore that merely has to be accomplished along with the rest of 'em. 

Some days that's fine. 

Others, it's kind of depressing.

In an attempt to make dinner for one more a yea and less of a nay, I've come up with a few tricks... including setting a really nice table, trying new recipes and having hors d'oeuvres for dinner. 

Wine also helps.

While I don't actually eat at a table, per se, and instead choose to set all of my food and beverages on a vintage Pepsi-Cola cooler, I always aim to make it look nice and inviting. 

Sometimes I even light a candle.

As for new recipes... I'm all about them. Especially coming up with my own. 

I really enjoy cooking, and eating, as well as trying new spices, foods and recipes - so this is not a struggle for me. 

Most recently I came up with an easy recipe for kale-wrapped salmon which I submitted to an online recipe contest sponsored by Gwyneth Paltrow and Food52. 

Ha! I never noticed how ridiculous funny I sound.

Anyhoo...

Hors d'oeuvres for dinner is another one of my tricks, and one I return to again and again because it's so quick and easy. 

Take last night. 

I got home and was literally starving. So I put some pita chips in a bowl and pulled some hummus out of the fridge. Hors d'oeuvre #1, done!

Next I sliced some Kumato tomatoes, bocconcini and basil and made a little caprese salad. Easy, peezy, lemon, squeezy. (I didn't actually use lemon though. I drizzled the whole thing with extra-virgin olive oil). Hors d'oeuvre #2, finito!

Onwards and upwards... to hearts of palm. I opened the can and took them out. Then I sliced them. Then I ate them. Hors d'oeuvre #3, gone in a flash!

Last but not least I made mushroom caps stuffed with garlic and cheese. I left them in the oven a smidge too long so they came out a little microscopic but what the hay... Hors d'oeuvre #4 was done and so was my supper.   

Friday five

I had the great pleasure of visiting a mecca of Asian food yesterday: T & T. For those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure of shopping at T & T, the country's largest Asian supermarket, let me explain: aisles and aisles of rice, noodles and hot sauces, the freshest produce around and of course, assorted guts!

Today's Friday five is all about my favourite Asian foods (and assorted guts, by the way, is most definitely not one of them). 

In fifth place is bibimbap, the Korean dish made with rice, vegetables, meat and an egg. I first tried bibimbap when I lived in Toronto and worked for a delightful Korean couple. They would always make sure to feed me after a particularly hard day of work and I shared many a delicious Asian meal with them. 

Thai food or anything cooked with coconut milk comes in fourth. I first tried Thai food in Thailand (lucky me) and absolutely love the combination of basil, hot sauce and coconut milk.

In third place is dim sum, the Cantonese specialty consisting of small, individually prepared dishes, including lots of steamed dumplings. Literally meaning "to touch your heart" dim sum is a great way to start a Sunday (as well as a great post night out cure). 

Pho soup is literally like chicken (or beef) soup for the soul. Delightfully flavoured with cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and star anise and full of rice noodles, bean sprouts and basil, its is the best thing to eat when you're feeling under the weather (or the weather just isn't cooperating). 

First place comes as no surprise to anyone (who knows me) and is, of course, SUSHI. Actually it's sashimi and salmon sashimi specifically. While eating raw slices of salmon doesn't float everyone's boat it is literally my absolute favourite thing in the world.  

Next to hot dogs.