Baby, I Need Your Oven

I love good food and wine, but I hate cooking and I'm bad at it. When you're dating, it seems like you're supposed to cook your partner dinner at a certain point, especially if you're a woman. I think I'm at that point now, and I'm considering setting a nice table and ordering takeout. Will he think I'm not that interested if I don't break out the cookbook?

--Food And Whine

According to needlepointed pillows, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Actually, it's through his sternum with a big saw. I say that a bit defensively because I, too, love good food but spend all of my time slaving over a hot computer. (I don't cook; I heat.) Luckily, I have a boyfriend who likes to cook for me, but for some guys, a woman who doesn't cook is an automatic dealbreaker. For others, it's a bit of a bummer, but what matters is whether the woman otherwise is giving and shows in various ways that she wants to take care of them. You'll find out which kind of man you have when you're honest with him about who you are -- a woman who sets a beautiful table and serves a delicious dinner right out of "The Joy Of Calling Up The Chinese Restaurant And Giving Them Your Credit Card Number."