South Philly Review

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"Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly. There is a communion of more than our bodies when bread is broken and wine drunk."

Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher, known as M.F.K., was a fine food writer with a wicked sense of humor. She wrote these words many years ago and they ring true today. The question is: Can you find pleasure in dining alone?

Judith Jones answered this question in her latest book “The Pleasures of Cooking for One.” Jones, who was born in 1924, has been an editor at Alfred A. Knopf for more than 50 years. She personally nurtured the careers of James Beard, Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, Lidia Bastianich and a host of others.

After her husband Evan died in ’96, Jones was not sure she would ever enjoy prepping, cooking and dining alone. As the years passed, she discovered she was wrong.

“I realized the pleasure we shared together was something to honor. I found myself at the end of the day looking forward to cooking, making recipes that work for one and then sitting down and savoring a good meal,” wrote Jones.

She gives tips on essential cooking equipment, indispensable utensils, stocking the cupboard, the freezer and refrigerator and essentials for the fruit and vegetable bins.

She believes supermarkets encourage people to buy too much and when singles do, they are left with leftovers. Jones gives recipes for what to do with those leftovers before they turn green in the fridge.

“There is something about going home at the end of the day or giving over a quiet Sunday afternoon to cooking — smashing the garlic, chopping an onion, getting all those good cooking smells going, stirring and tasting mindfully and then adjusting the seasonings — that makes us feel creative,” wrote Jones. “It is a comforting form of relaxation.”

■ Gratin of Beef, Mushrooms and Bread Crumbs ■

Ingredients:

6 medium mushrooms, chopped into small dice
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 shallot, sliced
2 tablespoons of fresh bread crumbs, plus more for topping
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Light olive oil
3 to 4 fairly thin slices of leftover steak
Splash of red wine

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the first five ingredients together in a small bowl. Generously sprinkle the salt and pepper. Smear a little oil on the bottom of a shallow one-serving gratin dish and spread half of the mushroom mixture on the bottom.

Cover with the steak and sprinkle a little red wine over it. Taste and correct for salt.

Finish with a layer of the remaining mushroom mixture. For the topping, sprinkle a scant tablespoon of bread crumbs all over it. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Serves one.