The dish - Penny Isaacs

The Dish is a fun and practical guide to getting yourself singled out by – and having a great time with – the Man of Your Dreams (your Dish) by appealing to his taste buds. The old adage that ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’ has never been more relevant, particularly as the recession bites. Eating in is definitely the new eating out.

It is about wooing, winning, charming and disarming the people you would like to like you. The authors detail key psychological strategies, conversational gambits, what to wear / not to wear, food and drink to serve and even the best dcor choices (yes!) to ensure you come out smiling in a series of increasingly important social situations – culminating in hosting your engagement party, if that’s what you’re after!

The tone is humorous and light-hearted but with an accessible message that works. The authors take a down-to-earth, kitchen sink approach and talk to you like they’re your older, wiser sisters who’ve been there before and come out the other side. For the can’t-cook-won’t-cook brigade, they guide you through the simplest culinary principles and tell you how to cheat! If you can’t make it, then buy it from the deli (just remember to hide the packaging). They also introduce CookSmart – their method of maximising flavour but minimising effort, aka a stiletto in an oven glove.