Our Meals

Balletomanes are sure to enjoy the easy storytelling style of Watts and Soto, who danced together with the New York City Ballet for many years (Watts retired in 1995 after more than 25 years with the company; Soto has been principal dancer since 1985). Their commentary on life (and food) in the dancing world and references to meals enjoyed in the company of such celebs as Charles Kuralt and Fran Lebowitz make for graceful and intriguing reading, as does the gradual disclosure of their close, decades-long, non-romantic friendship. This context, however, only highlights the ordinariness of the recipes. Interspersed with tips on entertaining (the authors share a house in Connecticut), recipes such as Meatloaf, Principal Pork (eaten in celebration when Soto was named principal dancer), and Carrots with Shallots and Honey seem like very daily fare. Many recipes are borrowed from others (Nora Ephron's Corn Souffle); some come from Soto's Puerto Rican/Navajo heritage (Mama Jo's Red Rice). Most are middle-of-the-road, expected dishes (Macaroni and Cheese; Prime Rib au Jus; Heather's Mom's Lemon Meringue Pie), unexceptional though competently presented. Nevertheless, Soto and Watts have distinctive, appealing voices which are clearly evident in the text, and readers hoping to learn more about their unusual, shared lives will not be disappointed. (Nov.)