“Table for Two” Encourages You to Stop to Savor the Romance of the Meal
Welcome to Cookbook of the Week. In this series, I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While searching for a specific recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has its own magic.
Casseroles, soups, cakes, pastas and roasts – many cookbooks give us plenty of ideas on how to feed a family of four or a party of 12. I don’t see many recipes that serve just two people. As much as I appreciate leftovers, I feel tied to these containers in my refrigerator, which is one of the reasons I decided to highlight Table for Two this week.
Yes, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and that’s another reason: many people will be looking for inspiration while cooking for their loved one. But you don’t have to be a couple to enjoy this cookbook. This is an attractive recipe book with reduced size and premium taste, perfect for impressing anyone you meet.
A little about the book
A Table for Two is written by Bre Graham and will hit shelves in 2023. At first glance, you might think this is a book filled with romantic dinner dates – there’s definitely some here, but there’s more to it. Graham makes it abundantly clear that there are many occasions and many types of relationships that bring two people together at the table. Perhaps you’re cooking for a younger sibling, your mom, a friend you’re getting back in touch with, or a weekly dinner with a cousin. These dishes are special because they nourish not only the stomach, but also the heart.
Graham includes several essays and a variety of recipes, from entrees to appetizers and cheese plates, cocktails and sweets. I like to treat every meal as an experience. As someone who cooks to a tight deadline for my job, the “get it done and clean up” mentality is easy to seep into my daily life. Graham includes notes for “Setting the Stage” and a section called “Aperitif Hour” with suggested appetizer pairings that will remind you that there should be times when eating becomes a special occasion , not least when you’re cooking for mom. Actually, especially for your mom.
A great cookbook for anyone who needs to slow down.
This is a good book for a person who cooks for or with another person. But portions aside, it’s a reminder that the entire process of cooking—the recipes, the flavor combinations, the beautiful plate designs—can be fun.
This is a good cookbook for the person in your life (maybe that’s you) who has a hard time making time for themselves. Someone who eats protein bars in the car or on the subway because it’s their only chance to eat “lunch.” Save the protein bars, but try to set the table for two at least once a week. It’s important to make room for quiet and peaceful moments and for the people you love.
Recipes You Can Expect
The book is divided into two sections: “Easy to Impress” and “Simply to Please.” The first section focuses on recipes that are beautiful but surprisingly easy to put together—meals you can make when you’re tired or late. The “Just for Fun” section is designed to have lunch with the works.
Both sections are similarly structured with recipes based on time of day, so you can find snack and breakfast recipes earlier in the segment and flip back to see gourmet desserts and everyday sweets. Both sections have recipes that range from everyday snacks like brown gravy and marmalade and bacon sandwich to candle napkins and cloth napkins like Gnudi in Toasted Butter with Lemon and Thyme.
These are all valuable things. A kitchen counter for two can be a place for moments as special as a table.
The dish I cooked this week
As always, I had a hard time choosing one recipe to highlight. (The dangers of good cookbooks.) I settled on rainbow chard, polenta, and ricotta and was not disappointed—if anything, I developed an active case of a food coma.
The recipe is in the Easy to Impress section, and while the ingredient list is long, it really came down to two components: cooking the chard and cooking the polenta. Really easy.
The utensils were everything you’d find in any typical kitchen (large whisk or spoon, large pot and pan), and polenta, cheese, and chard were all I could easily find. For some recipes, Graham also includes a small section with substitutions; if chard isn’t around, she recommends using frozen spinach or even mushrooms.
The finished meal was a complete and satisfying delight. Never in my life have I tasted such melting, cheesy polenta. Sprinkling this dish with toasted walnuts or even fine candied orange peel can make time stand still. The only questionable part is the amount of polenta: it takes almost two cups of instant pot. While I have no qualms about instant polenta, it makes enough for about six servings—much more than two, even for two very hungry people. So tomorrow I have leftovers (certainly not the worst thing that happened to me this week).
How to buy
A Table for Two is available in hardcover online or as an e-book . If you are giving this book as a gift, please purchase a hardcover—the paper and texture of the cover provide subtle tactile pleasures. As always, I highly recommend supporting your local bookstores. Find this cookbook on their shelves or see if they can order it to their home.