In this issue, our writers reflect on the solo meal from many angles. From the wilderness sandwich to the urban happy hour, from the institutional grounds of senior living facilities to home kitchens, these essays highlight the many meanings of the solitary meal and its power to bring health and healing into our lives. We also offer recipes for cooks beginning to fend for themselves in the kitchen, and we hear from award-winning cookbook author—and New Mexican—Deborah Madison, who revisits her book, What We Eat When We Eat Alone, on its tenth anniversary.
So much of the conversation around food revolves around its ability to create community, to bring people together over a shared meal. Indeed, few, if any, of us would argue against the many virtues of sharing a meal with others. Discussed less often is the reality that we eat many of our meals—close to half, according to recent studies—alone. Often, discussions and studies about solo dining concentrate on its pitfalls, such as correlations with higher instances of metabolic syndrome, loneliness, and, at least for men, obesity. Without dismissing these concerns, this issue of edible approaches the solitary meal a little differently: as an opportunity. Throughout these pages, we embrace the ways eating alone can bring nourishment, creativity, and joy to the little moments, too often dismissed, that shape our days.
Catering to solo diners has grown in recent years, from meal kit companies offering single-serving portions to restaurants specializing in tables for one. In 2018, chef Anita Lo’s best-selling cookbook, Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One was heralded as the “Best Cookbook of the Year” by Eater and the Washington Post, among others. These trends suggest not only that Americans’ eating habits are becoming more solitary, but that there is also less of a stigma surrounding the practice.
In this issue, our writers reflect on the solo meal from many angles. From the wilderness sandwich to the urban happy hour, from the institutional grounds of senior living facilities to home kitchens, these essays highlight the many meanings of the solitary meal and its power to bring health and healing into our lives. We also offer recipes for cooks beginning to fend for themselves in the kitchen, and we hear from award-winning cookbook author—and New Mexican—Deborah Madison, who revisits her book, What We Eat When We Eat Alone, on its tenth anniversary.
As these stories show, eating alone can be less of a symptom and more of an experience. It might be a good time to try out a new recipe or cooking technique, a chance to indulge in a guilty pleasure, or a stolen moment to savor an incredible meal without distraction. We hope that by celebrating our solo meals we might better appreciate their worth and our own.
Salad
After visiting the farmers market, a solo cook can prepare salad lunches for the whole work week in about 45 minutes. All that’s needed—in addition to the fresh bounty—are five quart-size jars and enough space in the refrigerator. Start with 2–3...
Cooking Solo
Building a Repertoire to Cook for YourselfBy Stephanie Cameron | Photo by Stacey M. Adams Kelli Cameron sampling radish sprouts from Logan Romero of Happy Hippies Urban Farm at the Corrales Growers’ Market. I find catharsis in cooking solo. In my years...
Alone, Together
By Ellen ZachosEllen Zachos in the field. Photo by Mark Hardy. How much do I want those locust flowers? How delicious is that cattail pollen? Will that branch hold my weight while I reach for those oyster mushrooms? Am I going to run into a mama bear and her cubs in...
On Eating Alone: A Reflection
By Deborah Madison · Illustrations by Patrick McFarlinEditors’ Note: For the tenth anniversary of Deborah Madison’s What We Eat When We Eat Alone: Stories and 100 Recipes, we asked the renowned author and chef to reflect on how the book came about and why the subject...
Mark Kiffin, The Compound Restaurant
Local Hero: Best Chef, Santa Fe Photos by Douglas MerriamThis May, Chef Mark Kiffin celebrated his nineteenth anniversary as owner of The Compound Restaurant, a cornerstone of the culinary landscape in Santa Fe, located in the Arts District on Canyon Road. The...
Malagueña’s Latin Tapas
An Interview with Molly Montaño, Tasting Room Manager, Vara Wines, and Javier Montaño, Executive Chef, Vara WinesLocal Hero: Best Food Truck Photos by Stephanie CameronMalagueña’s Latin Tapas was a Spanish and Latin American inspired food truck, owned and operated by...
Duran Central Pharmacy
An Interview with Mona Ghattas and Jay Guthrie, OwnersLocal Hero: Best cafe, albuquerque Photos by Stacey M. AdamsHusband and wife team, Mona Ghattas and Jay Guthrie, at Duran Central Pharmacy. Pete Duran started Duran Central Pharmacy in 1942 as a very traditional...
Edible celebrates New Mexico's food culture, season by season. We believe that knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing. With our high-quality, aesthetically pleasing and informative publication, we inspire readers to support and celebrate the growers, producers, chefs, beverage and food artisans, and other food professionals in our community.