At night, some count sheep and others read mystery novels. I lie on the bed and start thinking about food.» Weaving reflections and memories of several decades between stoves and books along with her most infallible recipes, the novelist Laurie Colwin invites us to rediscover the pleasure of cooking with joy and without complexes. In chapters like Alone with an eggplant", "Vomiting dinners. My testimony" and "Stuffed veal fin. A Bad Idea,” the author shares hilarious anecdotes—making pasta in a tiny apartment in late-1960s New York, feeding a crowd of striking students, hosting a dinner party, and dealing with fussy guests—and offers useful advice for both neophytes and connoisseurs. Published in 1988, this famous book, halfway between memories and recipes, is a tribute to the small pleasures of cooking and the joy of sharing a table, a true literary feast that has conquered several generations of readers. Close and honest, Colwin speaks to us as she would a good friend and invites us to live our relationship with the kitchen with curiosity, generosity and optimism.