Be Better Guys

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring reviews of BBG-recommended gifts  for guys. Check out our list of gift ideas, updated throughout the week, all the way up to Christmas.

Years ago, I read an article written by Peter Mayle where he advised that every man needs to know how to cook one meal well. I respectfully disagree. Look, a one-trick pony is only good for a limited engagement. Cooking is a skill that carries you throughout your life, because you’ll be eating for a while, so having a range of things you can make is a good idea. Besides the fact there are only so many ways to make Hamburger Pie, there are only so many times someone will be impressed with your Hamburger Pie.

Self-preservation is a reason to cook, but impressing a date is another strong impetus as well. It’s no secret that men will do a lot to get laid. We’ve ridden motorcycles, started wars, marked our skin with tattoos, and fronted bands all in the name of sex. Cooking a good meal is one of the easier and less dangerous ways. Rocky Fino is a chef who’s written a series of books on the benefits of being handy with a skillet. Will Cook for Sex Again, and Again is his third book, written in an easy-to-follow, funny style. He even has his mom write the introduction, to his father’s chagrin.

The strength of Will Cook for Sex is how Fino makes the recipes so incredibly easy to follow. He gets you there with an equipment list, wine guide, then meal for different occasions—the parents are visiting, the anniversary dinner, a dinner party, a cookout, and other occasions are covered to make sure you don’t sweat the situation. The photos give you a clear look at what you should be creating from start to finish. Fino even preps you for the various scenarios with what expectations are–assuming you don’t already know and if not, coking might not be your biggest hurdle–giving him a chance to get another chuckle or two in. He gives you bold suggestion, like Brussels Sprout Salad that might scare off the faint of heart, but yield big rewards.

Generally speaking, his recipes in this book assume you’ve gotten past any shell-shock associated with cooking for the first time. They also assume you’re in a relationship or maintaining one, and will use cooking to keep her interested. The dishes are reminiscent of what you might find on the menu of a small trattoria or tasty corner café. No one is going to be upset with a Tomato Stack appetizer, and you get the bonus points for the effort—it’s not Top Chef All-Stars. In order to make sure, I tested a few recipes out. I tried the Pistachio-Crusted Acorn Squash (not good, but it might have been the squash); Sweet Pots and Yams (yummy for dinner or breakfast); then the Tried and True Tiramisu (one of my favorite desserts. I didn’t make my own ladyfingers and that might take it over from good to fantastic); and finally the leg of Lamb French Dip, which made for a nice Sunday afternoon sandwich while watching games.

I would have liked Fino to provide some rough estimate of how long each dish takes from preparation to completion. Knowing it takes at least 90 minutes to make something would be helpful to guys trying to swing a meal on a date night. Otherwise, this is a great cookbook for those who know a bit, want to do more, and like to see their women light up and smile that “Oh, you’re getting lucky tonight” smile behind a new and tasty meal. Not a bad gift, at $24.95, either.