At home I cook for one: myself. The son and the daughter are both working on becoming adults. I don't know if is because I don't have to cook for anyone but myself on a daily basis, but I love to draw people in to cook for. And I'm not overly concerned about quantities. Living alone means I need the help of others in various ways now and then, so I usually have sweet neighbors with whom to share leftovers and excesses.
I'm a long-distance bike-rider, so I get to indulge in lots of pastas. In truth, though, if I never saw another bike, pasta would still out-compete most anything else for space on my plate.
Usually a good sharp knife.
Truffles. In France.
Because it is so intensely pleasurable. Because it is extremely satisfying on many levels. It makes me slow down.