You need music to cook to, especially under less-than-deal conditions. Break it out. Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan for soups. Bruce Springsteen for stews. Turn up “Atlantic City” when you’re making beef stroganoff. The heat coming from the stovetop is making you flushed. To find balance, cover your radiator with the red beach towel that has survived six apartment moves. Pour yourself a second glass of wine. Hum along. Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty, and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.
Stop humming.
~ Laura Dave in “How to Cook in a New York Apartment” in Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone