INTRODUCTION: Why Cook for a Date?, How to Use This Book. PART I: GETTING READY TO COOK (1) Materials - Ten Staples to Have at All Times (2) Tools- Essential Equipment and Utensils (3) Preparing the House (4) For the Love of the Grape: A Basic Wine Primer (5) The Risk Continuum (6) Dealing with Hybrids (7) Bailing Out: Dealing with Disaster. PART II: THE MENUS (1) The Academic Girl--A Chaucerian Feast: Chicknes with the Marybones * Papa's Tapas, or A Moveable Feast: Hemingway's Picnic of Spanish Tapas * Pub Grub I: Pygmalion Bangers and Mash * Pub Grub II: Welsh Rabbit vs. Rarebit * Shakespeare on a Plate: A First Quarto Sampler (2) The Athletic Girl--* In The Zone: Chicken in Orange Sauce * The Atkins Diet: Low Carb Crab Cakes * Body-for-Life: Chicken Parmesan * Carb Loading: Sun-dried and Roasted Tomato Fettucine * Weight Watchers: Lemon Pepper Halibut (3) The Career Girl--Maximizing your ROI: Low Investment, High Yield Sushi * Bottom Line Priorities: Just Dessert * Midtown Power Dining: Ahi, Shrimp, Scallops and Vegetables on a Bed of Baby Greens * Achieving Synergy: Spinach, Raspberry and Goat Cheese Salad * Getting to the Top: Trump Tower of Polenta & Pork Tenderloin (4) The Girl Next Door--Fourth of July Fireworks: Fried Chicken & French Fries * Mom's Kitchen: Savory Meatloaf * Thanksgiving Favorites: Pineapple Glazed Ham * Sunday Dinner: Pot Roast * Hot Dish: Midwestern Tuna Casserole (5) The Gourmet Girl--Comfort Food Redux: New American * Some Like it Haute: Classic French * R is for Risotto, Radicchio and Romance: Classic Italian * It's a Small World, After All: Pan-Asian Fusion * There's No Taste Like Foam: Spanish Surrealist (6) The Granola Girl--Macrobiotic: Magic Marinated Mushrooms * Eco-Friendly: Crop Rotation Casserole * Raw Lust: Sprout Salad and Wheat Grass Shots * Lacto-Ovo: Greekin' Out * Vegan Thanksgiving: Tofurkey Dinner (7) The Indie Girl--Monsoon Wedding: Bollywood Curry Chicken * Tampopo: Spaghetti Western Udon Soup * Eat Drink Man Woman: Shrimp and Fortune Cookies * AmÉlie: Le Fabuleux Diner d' AmÉlie Poulain * Like Water for Chocolate: Chiles en Nogada and Chocolate Flan (8) The Party Girl--Tex-Mex Fiesta: Fajitas and Spanish Fly Cocktails * Saucy and Sweet: Pepperoni Pizza and Flaming Dr. Peppers * Happy Hour: Bar Munchies * Spring Break South of the Border: Ultimate Nachos and Body Shots * Fun-due: Cheese Fondue and Wine Coolers (9) The Progressive Girl--"Go to the Mattresses": Chicken and Artichoke Cacciatore * "What is Tiramisu?": Chicken Piccata and Tiramisu * "Pesto, the Quiche of the '80s": Pesto Swordfish over Capellini * "I'll Have What She's Having": Salmon in Dill Sauce * "Take Me to Bed or Lose Me Forever": Lemon Shrimp Linguini (10) The Uptown Girl--Dinner on the Yacht in the French Riviera: Champagne, Caviar and Lobster * Sinatra at the Sands: Martinis, Oysters and Filet Mignon * Afternoon Tea at the Savoy: Finger Sandwiches and Scones * A Meal fit for a Queen (and a Duke): Beef Wellington and Cherries Jubilee * At the Villa in Avignon: Coq au Vin and Tarte Tatin (11) So You Got Lucky: Recipes for Breakfast. INDEX.