Skinny Bitch_ Ultimate Everyday Cookbook - Kim Barnouin [25]
COOKING CLUBS
If you are a self-confessed foodie, meeting people who share your interests is not difficult. There are foodies all over the country, in every city and every neighborhood, who are looking to find someone of their caliber. Ask around your networks, call the nearest cooking school or peruse online community forums. Another option is to start your own. Surf the Internet, online community forums, and Craigslist for tips on starting your own cooking club or joining one.
COOKING CLASSES
Whether you’re learning the basics of Cooking 101 or you’re a seasoned sous chef, there is a cooking class for every level. For those who have varying work schedules or travel frequently, classes can range from one-night to six-week courses. Many cooking schools offer private classes for one-on-one instruction or you can hire an instructor for a private party. (Perfect for bachelorettes and birthday parties!) If you have a friend who loves to dabble in the kitchen, gift certificates for a cooking class are the perfect gift. It is thoughtful, fairly inexpensive, and original.
THE ART OF SEDUCTION
If you think your relationship needs a little help behind closed doors, say no more. Relationships take work, sex kitten. Watching football with him on Sunday afternoons as a flirting method will not do the trick. Honey, the only thing on his mind is holding the quarterback for two more downs and what color the cheerleader’s panties are. He doesn’t even know you are home.
So, instead of catering to his chauvinistic needs, cater to your mutual needs. Give the kitchen a chance. Food is just oozing with sex. The hot flame on the stove, the big wooden spoons and the flour in your hair all remind him of just how messy things can get.
COOK TOGETHER: Cooking a romantic dinner for him is always a nice gesture. But you don’t want nice. You want to get laid. Not tomorrow. Not over the weekend. Tonight. Spice things up. Plan ahead of time and tell him to block off a night for the two of you to cook one of his favorite recipes. Light some lavender candles in the kitchen, crack open a bottle of red wine, and work some aphrodisiacs into your main dish (see page 100, “The Love Chef”). This is probably not an ideal night for lentils or beans.
THE ALLURE OF THE APRON: Do not doubt the sexual prowess of the apron. Or more appropriately, do not doubt your sexual prowess in an apron. Consider surprising him in the kitchen one night. Slip into your apron, to reveal that you are wearing nothing underneath while still leaving a little to the imagination. Just remember, there is a fine line between a temptress and a hooker. Do not get them confused.
DINNER PARTIES
Take a look at your bank statements. If it looks more like a city guide for the hottest restaurants in town than your checking account, it’s a good sign you are dining out too much. Settle down, hipster. If parties, dinners, and cocktail soirees are more your style, throw your own! This may sound like a lot of time and money, but it doesn’t have to be.
Hosting a Dinner Party that Doesn’t Break the Bank
TAPAS-STYLE DINNER: Rather than spending your monthly salary on a five-course dinner for ten guests, stick to the basics. Choose five to six hors d’oeuvres or appetizers and host a tapas dinner. I like to ask each of my friends to send me the recipe for their favorite tapas dish, and we all cook it together. You can still have the typical sit-down dinner setting, just inform guests prior to the invitation that it will be small plates.
AFTER-DINNER PARTY: Break the mold and host the most untraditional of dinner parties. Sweet tooth required. Invite guests over for a late-night tasting of your favorite healthy desserts. Show off your baking skills with a wide arrangement of confections