Ed Solomon has a hate-hate relationship with the kitchen. But he long ago came to the realization that he has to eat. So the 90-year-old Laguna Woods resident, who has lived alone for the past decade, decided to share his rudimentary cooking skills with the wider world in a book titled “Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.
” After a bout of bad health last year that included a six-month hospital stay, Solomon had two helpers prepare his meals after he came home to recuperate. “As I got stronger, I became ambitious and wanted to prepare my own meals,” he said in a recent interview at his home. In the past, he’d always had a mother or a wife to cook for him.
Cooking “just never interested me and, even though I tried to like the kitchen, it just seemed a messy job and too much trouble,” he said. Laguna Woods resident Ed Solomon, 90, has written and published a cookbook titled ““Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.”(Photo by Mark Rabinowitch — Contributing Photographer) Laguna Woods resident Ed Solomon, 90, takes time out from cooking at his home in the Village.
He has written and published a cookbook titled “Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.”(Photo by Mark Rabinowitch — Contributing Photographer) Laguna Woods resident Ed Solomon, 90, has written and published a cookbook titled “Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.” The tongue-in-cheek book offers easy recipes that might tempt even the most ardent noncook to give it try.
(Photo by Mark Rabinowitch — Contributing Photographer) Laguna Woods resident Ed Solomon, 90, cooks up some peppers at his home in the Village. He has written and published a cookbook titled “Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.”(Photo by Mark Rabinowitch — Contributing Photographer) Laguna Woods resident Ed Solomon, 90, has written and published a cookbook titled ““Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.
”(Photo by Mark Rabinowitch — Contributing Photographer) Solomon’s new kitchen endeavors soon led to his desire to share his experiences with others who lived alone and needed to prepare meals for one. So he wrote a cookbook of 32 pages and submitted it to Amazon’s book division, which responded that the book needed to be 75 pages for Amazon to publish it. “I looked at many cookbooks that include recipes but don’t tell you the basics of what you need to have on hand,” Solomon said.
He decided to include, along with the recipes for his favorite meals, sections dealing with the pantry, the refrigerator and grocery shopping, as well as using spices, fruits, vegetables and other cooking staples. Health and nutrition are covered as well, including the need to stay hydrated. But don’t expect a serious tome.
“I wrote (the book) in a tongue-in-cheek way,” Solomon said, pun possibly intended. The expanded version of his Cooking 101 primer met Amazon’s requirements and was recently published on a print-on-demand basis. It can be ordered on Amazon.
All proceeds from the sale of his cookbook will go to Solomon’s other passions, including veterans’ organizations, groups that help older adults like AARP and his own nonprofit dedicated to promoting the arts. Among his favorite recipes Solomon included is one for avocado toast, which he says is “easy to make and can be eaten morning, noon or night.” Another is his peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich, admittedly not on everyone’s short list of go-to lunches or snacks.
“This was a popular sandwich from the 1930s to the 1960s, due in large part to the Great Depression,” Solomon writes in his book. “It was a cheap, calorie-packed meal for many families in the South.” A more hearty cookbook entry is liver and onions, while an expanded recipe details the various ways to prepare potatoes.
Then there are the “no-recipe” recipes such as cold cereal (pour, add fruit and milk, and eat), cheeseburger (go to McDonald’s, Burger King or In ‘N’ Out) or pizza (Domino’s, Papa John’s, etc.). Solomon has received many compliments on the book, he said.
“People think I am inspirational because I’m 90 and I did something,” he said. “I really just want to help and do what I can because it’s so important.” The Los Angeles native spent four years in the Air Force during the Korean War and has a soft spot for fellow vets, especially those who are forced to live on the streets.
Thinking of them brings tears to his eyes. A former hair stylist, author, musician and painter, Solomon continues to write and publish poetry and to support the arts through an organization he co-founded in 1980 called TIMOTCA (The International Museum of Twenty-First Century Arts). “Its goal is the establishment of the world’s first global center for the visual and performing arts,” he writes on the back cover of his book.
After it was formed, Solomon traveled the world seeking out ministers of culture and heads of state to nominate their countries’ best living painters. “We would reproduce an original painting to sell to generate money to give to children’s foundations and other arts groups,” he said of the organization, which was recognized by UNESCO. Hoping that the cultural heritage of every country would eventually be included, the group had big plans to build a physical center for its showcases.
This, however, proved too costly so TIMOTCA has switched gears to embrace the metaverse, Solomon said. “We’ll be able to reach a billion people with streaming capabilities through a virtual performing arts theater, library and other venues,” he said. “The metaverse is all the future, and we want to be a part of it.
” As for his future as a cookbook author, Solomon promises to be back at age 100 for a sequel. “Maybe I’ll feature burnt toast,” he said with a laugh. Referring to the reported sale of 1.
5 million editions of one of Julia Child’s cookbooks, Solomon said, “My quest is to sell 1.6 million of mine!” Here are some recipes from Ed Solomon’s cookbook, “Cooking at 90: When You Hate the Kitchen.” Ingredients: Peanut butter (creamy or chunk) + Mayonnaise + Grain bread.
I only use either 7 or 12 grain bread. Multi-grain bread tends to be more nutrient-dense because it contains whole grains, whereas white bread is always made from refined grains. The highly processed flour and additives in white, packaged bread can make it unhealthful.
What to do: Simple. Spread one slice of your grain bread with your choice of peanut butter and the other slice with the mayo. I suggest adding a big leaf of iceberg lettuce that will add crispness and will enhance the taste.
First, select one or two ripe Hass, but not overripe, avocados, and I suggest a whole grain bread. Next, cut and coarsely mash the avocado in a bowl and then add a couple of pinches of salt (sea salt is my choice) and a generous sprinkle of pepper. You can also add diced fresh cherry tomatoes if you like.
One of the ingredients that I use ...
is a sprinkle of garlic seasoning on the toast and a bit of mayo before adding the avocado. Once the avocado is ready to spread, toast your bread until it’s well toasted and then spread the avocado. And to top it off, you can sprinkle a sliced green onion on top.
Sometimes I finish it with a fried egg on top just to add more protein. And sometimes I top it off with Tabasco sauce or some sliced cherry tomatoes. Do some experimenting until you’ve got your own recipe.
That’s it! Simple and great. French toast is a fun weekend breakfast made by soaking 4 thick slices of soft bread (I like to use brioche) in a batter of 2 eggs, a teaspoon of sugar, quarter cup of milk and half teaspoon of cinnamon. When your batter is ready, take a slice of toast and soak one side and then the other in the batter until it is totally covered.
You can put two slices at a time in your hot buttered skillet, and once it is a beautiful golden brown on the bottom, turn it over until you see that it is perfectly cooked — a little crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. Topped with warm syrup and fruit like strawberries, bananas or blueberries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, it’s magnifique. (Favorite bread is sourdough or rye and cheese is pepper jack) Melt butter in your pan and add the sandwich.
Press down on the bread, and when one side is golden brown and the cheese is starting to melt, flip it over and repeat. Cut it in half. Before I eat my sandwich, sometimes I open it and add a piece of ham or turkey.
I like adding a bowl of tomato soup to make it a real meal..
