Book Review: The Art of Eating In by Cathy Erway

I should state from the get-to that I am not a foodie.  I appreciate the effort that goes into a good meal, and appreciate fresh, wholesome ingredients.  More times than not, I opt to make my own food rather than order take-out or eat in a restaurant.  But this is mostly borne out of laziness, and a lack of caring.  It's cheaper and easier for me to throw together some rice with vegetables and tofu than it is for me to decide what I want from a menu.  I'm bound to enjoy my simple meal more, as I make what I'm craving at the moment. Combined with the fact that it saves money and I like to know exactly what is in my food, eating in really does prove to be the best option.

Not that I never eat out, I'm not a complete freak.  Last night for example, I craved pizza.  I have tried to make pizza, but that I make only leaves me hungry for the real thing. For the most part, my meals come out of my own kitchen.  In a city where food of every kind can be found on every street corner (almost literally), I do not fall into the norm. Manhattan grocery stores are prohibitively expensive; carrying grocery bags for blocks is not enjoyable; and the average kitchen size in the five boroughs matches that of a half-bath in most parts of the country.  Eating out in New York is also part of the culture.  The reconnaissance missions to get lunch, provide a nice break during the workday.  Dates, birthday parties and most celebrations revolve around eating out.  It's how we bond and get to know each other.

Given my tendencies toward eating in, I was thrilled to see my lifestyle validated by Cathy Erway in her book, The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove.  In it, Cathy documents the two years she went on a self-imposed restaurant fast.  Now, I do have to admit that this is not a revolutionary idea - New York is an expensive city, and many people (including myself) have found that refraining from restaurants and take-out is the quickest way to save money.  What makes the book unique is that she takes it on and talks about.  During this time she does not deny herself any food experience.  She hones her cooking skills, experimenting with new ideas and perfecting techniques.  She finds new social outlets with home cooking, attending supper clubs and cook-offs.  She finds a new community of people who are creative in the ways they express passion for food.

And this is what makes the book most compelling.  New York offers something for everyone, be it an experience, a type of food or a lifestyle, and Cathy proves this.  Instead of denying herself the restaurant experience, she opened herself to a whole world of new ones.  She proves that the old addage "closing one door opens another"  remains true in New York.

To read more about Cathy's culinary adventures, you can also check out her blog Not Eating Out in New York.