A wholly successful literary anthology, not unlike a fine dish, is greater the sum of its ingredients. Jenni Ferrari-Adler’s Alone In Kitchen with an Eggplant’s tales of dinner-for-one (many of which are accompanied by recipes) blend classic flavors like M.F.K. Fisher and Marcella Hazan with a dash of palate-ticklers like Nora Ephron. As for the cherry on top? Read Haruki Murakami’s short story following a lonely Japanese spaghetti eater and you’ll never be able to answer the phone while tucking into a steaming pasta marinara again.