15 Aug 2013

cooking for one


I live alone, so mostly cook for one, but that does not mean I am good at it. At getting the servings right, I mean (though sometimes I’m not good at the cooking bit, either).
Mostly I cut up the veg, measure out the pasta or rice or quinoa, and am happy to see if the end result fills one plate or two. I’m happy to do a big roast or casserole or risotto on the weekend, with the promise of multiple serves, because it saves time over the next few days, and if it’s really good, I don’t mind eating it again and again; in fact, I look forward to it.
Oddly, last week I aimed at making enough to eat over two nights, but I ended up being bang-on the right amount for one perfect bowlful. I quickly noted down the quantities so I could get it right next time (one very small onion, one small tin of tuna, about a third of a cup of frozen peas, a handful of tatsoi leaves, about 60 gms frilly pasta. And lots of lemon juice and zest and parsley and garlic).
While I mostly cook pour moi seulement, I do have people visit; hence I have four of each bowl and plate (one only would be horridly sad). Mostly it’s my parents. But then I get thrown, and don’t know how to cook for the extra two people. I’d rather over-cook and have generous servings, or leftovers. But, unglamourously, most of our lunches together are toasted sandwiches because they’re quick to throw together during a working-bee-in-the-garden kind of day. And then it’s two sandwiches for dad and one each for me and mum.
On a different tangent, why is ‘cooking for one’ overlaid with such withering tones of pity? As if it is a fate no one would wish upon – I have to say it – oneself? Why do people declare that cooking for great gatherings of family and friends is an act of ‘cooking with love’ - yet to feed oneself only is not worth any effort or care beyond a scrappy piece of toast or a repeat of breakfast’s muesli?
Don’t get me wrong, as the single occupant of my dwelling, I’ve had toast or porridge or a slice of cake or a bowl of ice cream for dinner. But that’s because I want to, because I choose to, because I can. I have no one to please or feed but myself, so occasionally that means a mug of green tea and Connoisseur Café Grande ice cream straight from the tub. But mostly, to steal from pop culture, ‘I’m worth it’. So I cook something colourful, delicious, and horrifically healthy; I use my good china and nice glasses; I use my pretty napkins and resist sitting on the couch in front of the TV, meal balanced on a tray, even if the tray is a funky new Ikea number. I cook for one, I end up with leftovers, and I enjoy every mouthful of it.

22 comments:

  1. I can't tell you how many times I have found myself in a welter of cooking frenzy in the early evening wishing I could be calmly and serenely cooking for one.
    There would be so many benefits. If you burn dinner you don't get five sets of sad eyes gazing at you, you just eat toast.
    And you could experiment and the only person saying it was yucky would be yourself.
    Oh, and best of all, you could read at the table without being A Bad Role Model to anyone.
    I do hope you enjoy cooking your elegant dinner this evening.. I'll be thinking of you :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jo - i agree with you on all counts!
      and reading at the table while eating combines two of my favourite things to do!

      Delete
  2. I loved cooking for one. Mainly because I love eating, and I love good food, and I love cooking. I suspect many people see cooking as a chore, something that stops them from doing other more important things (like watching TV or something?), and so only see it as worthwhile if it's for other people. I could be way wrong. Enjoy it! You can eat whatever you feel like, without having to satisfy others as well. And you can be lazy if you feel like it, or eat as much soup as you like. This is kind of making me miss cooking for one.
    Jacqui

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Jacqui :-) it seems i have hit a chord with former cooking-for-oners!
      i think you're right. if you see cooking as a chore, you're probably never going to enjoy it - no matter how many people you cook for.

      Delete
  3. Great post e, I really enjoying reading this. Some years ago before husband and subsequent children I lived alone...who would have thought!? I almost always cooked 'proper' meals for myself although I was younger then, less organised and probably not quite as health conscience.

    Nowadays the only time I cook for one is when my husband is away and I secretly love it! I almost always cook something vegetarian and simple such as an omelette full of leafy greens or a simple pasta with pesto or hearty soup. Simple but good food. There is nothing wrong with cooking well for one and being happy with it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you sound like my mum, jane - when dad is one one of his fishing trips, she gets out all the grains and pastas and things he doesn't really enjoy and has a glorious vegie feast.
      and 'simple but good food' - my idea of delicious, too.

      Delete
  4. I hear you. I live alone too, it is so hard sometimes to get the portions right especially when you are dividing a recipe up. When I do cook for others I tend to serve up too much food as I am petrified of not having enough. Like you I adore spoiling myself with a great mea1 with all the good china out. I think when people speak to us in that pitying tone they are just jealous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i agree, sharon! especially when i say i just have cake for dinner...yay for us!
      portions are the hardest thing to get right - i'm sort of glad to hear someone else struggles with it. but ah, the blessings of refrigeration and freezing! where would we be otherwise?

      Delete
  5. While I have a boyfriend, we don't live together, so I cook for one very frequently, and to be honest I find it very easy. I've had some really excellent meals!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yay, leaf! you are such a brilliant cook - i am not surprised!

      Delete
  6. I agree E, it is difficult to judge portions cooking for one and my biggest problem is trying to stop at just the single portion, especially when no one is watching.

    'One for the cook - one for the pot.'

    I do miss the intimacy of creating a meal for two but I guess as you point out, we can love ourselves and still express that in cooking for one.

    Tonight I am alone and so I decided to give myself a little Lovin with a visit to Mures for some fresh fish and a Bisque soup preparation.

    Seafood Bisque on a cold winter's night...ahh - True Love!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi SB. having a night off cooking is a treat! i'm not as good eating out by myself, but most of hobart's fish restaurants are pretty laid back and are okay for solo meals out. i just pretend i'm a mysterious tourist!

      Delete
    2. If only I was that confident. Im afraid I only just bought the ingredients from Mures and then cooked it at home so I could indulge alone in front of the TV. It felt so good to splurge on quality ingredients just for myself, a little naughty but very, very nice. :)

      Delete
    3. i think this is the point - we shouldn't guilty for splurging on "just me"!

      Delete
  7. The part of eating whatever we want because we live alone is great I think. I hate eating or cooking when I don´t want to! If I want company I have my friends to invite over or go out. And I always make extra, that way I have food ready all the time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i agree paula - there is something comforting about knowing there is a stash of food 'ready all the time'. the thought of no food makes me more nervous than anything else!

      Delete
  8. Such a lovely post! My partner often travels, but I still cook myself a lovely meal... and, yes, sometimes I eat something like your ice cream etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you! it's good to be able to choose: "will i have a lovely homemade meal just for me? or... just the ice cream?"
      (sorry for the late reply)

      Delete
  9. Thanks for making me Smile :-). I cook for one half the time, while my hubby is away at work. I always cook, I tend to have left overs often, which makes it easy for lunch for me. though sometimes I need a little more inspiration to cook for myself as I love cooking for others.

    ReplyDelete
  10. i agree about the inpsiration, lizzie - i will admit that sometimes i get stuck in a rut, as i have no one to say "not this again!"

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is a lovely post. I never mastered the cooking for one when I was cooking for one (which was often, as my husband worked away every second week for 9 out of 10 years we've been together). I was a lazy cooking for one eater, instead I'd splurge a little on healthy bought lunch, and have a simple dinner, those were the days!!!. Now I'm cooking everynight for all four of us but often running out of inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  12. thank you for your lovely words, YH.it seems inspiration gets stuck sometimes no matter how many people we are cooking for; one or many.

    ReplyDelete

Word-verification is on, as the robot-spammers are loving my tuna past bake too much at the moment! I hope you understand - and I hope you'll still leave a comment at Dig In. I love hearing your thoughts, knowing someone is reading, and will always reply. Unless you're a robot-spammer.