Cheryl Lavin: Cooking skill helpful in securing a relationship

Shakespeare said music was the food of love. I say food is the food of love. Here’s what you say . . .

MONA: My mother is part French and always taught me that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. She taught me about French cuisine and made me responsible for cooking a lot of the dinners in our house. She reminded me constantly that it would get me a good husband and make him happy. She was right.

Whenever I got into a relationship, I’d invite the fellow over for dinner. The best thing was getting him involved in preparing it. I wanted to let him know up front that I was a good cook, but that wasn’t entirely my job. The fun thing is to get creative together.

When my hubby proposed, I asked him why he wanted to marry me. He said, “You’re always looking through magazines for new recipes, and that’s how I want to spend the rest of my life.” Need I say more?

CHRISTINE: My husband and I would look through recipes every Saturday morning, pick out four or five, and make out a shopping list. Then we’d go out to breakfast and do the grocery shopping.

About four or five nights a week, we’d prepare the dinner together. I’d do most of the chopping and prep work, he did most of the actual cooking. We’d open a bottle of wine and when the food was done, we’d share it.

Well, he died several months ago and I haven’t been able to cook anything since. Cooking was our thing. Now, it’s take-out, restaurants, or frozen food.

JERRI: It used to be that a first date meant dinner. Now, it’s coffee. People are either so busy or so cheap or so impatient they don’t want to waste an entire meal on a stranger. It’s coffee and out.

MASON: I know I’m picky, but I have a lot of deal-breakers when it comes to the way a person eats. I went out with one guy who ordered a steak and when it came, he cut up the entire thing before he started eating. So childish! It was like his mother used to cut up his food and now he was doing it.

This same guy cut his roll in half and buttered the whole thing before he started eating it. Two strikes, he was out.

And then there are guys who drink coffee with a nice meal, not after it. Guys who eat really slowly. Guys who tuck their napkins into their collars even when they’re not eating spaghetti or ribs or lobster. Guys who don’t tip. Guys who keep talking even when the waiter is standing there. So rude! And guys who want to get amorous at the table. Losers, all of them.

DERRICK: I don’t mind when a woman wants to take half of her entrée home. I get it, women don’t make as much money as men and they don’t eat as much as men and nobody likes to waste food. Restaurants are very accommodating about doggie bags.

But I’ve been out with women who take the left-over rolls and butter! I was embarrassed for them. Frugal is one thing, cheap is another.

What are your food pet-peeves? Send your tale, along with your questions, problems and rants to cheryllavinrapp@gmail.com.

And check out my new ebook, “Dear Cheryl: Advice from Tales from the Front.” COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM