When cooking alone, what are your go-to dishes? Peanut butter, jelly, and pickles? Hard-boiled eggs with a side of Cheerios? Whether you're perpetually single or just unaccompanied for an evening, solo dining is something to be cherished. Jenni Ferrari-Adler, whose firsthand experience comes from time spent in Michigan working on her MFA, gathered 26 talented writers - some foodies, some amateurs - and asked about their "secret meals" and self-imposed rules for dining alone. The result is Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone (Riverhead Books, 2007; $22.95), a collection of short stories from wordsmiths such as Steve Almond, Nora Ephron, Ann Patchett, and others. Recipes are included, and the dishes are as varied as Truffled Egg Toast (from Amanda Hesser), Black Beans for One (Jeremy Jackson), and White-on-White Lunch When No One Is Looking (Anneli Rufus). We're not sure whether to store a copy on our bookshelf or our kitchen counter. Pick it up at Brookline Booksmith (279 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617.566.6660).
