Vitamin Daily

The lonely consider it a chore, those with limited alone time see it as a pleasure, but either way, cooking for one can be an adventure or an anti-climatic affair.

In Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant ($17.96), 26 renowned writers reveal the food they create for themselves (sometimes indulgent, sometimes simple) and enjoy when they’re solo. When no one is looking, the fabulous Nora Ephron, whose most recent movie Julie and Julia has us salivating in the theatre, reveals mashed potatoes in bed are her remedy for a broken heart; Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto and Run, noshes on salty snacks, and famed Japanese author Haruki Murakami is all about spaghetti.

Although recipes are included, the collection of essays, often humorous, is more about the stories than the actual food.

Table for one please.

At Amazon.ca.