"Your Time to Cook: A First Cookbook for Newlyweds, Couples & Lovers" by Robert L. Blakeslee (Square One, $29.95).

Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life. Give newlyweds just any cookbook as a wedding gift, and perhaps they'll make a few memorable meals. Give them "Your Time to Cook: A First Cookbook for Newlyweds, Couples and Lovers," and they'll probably still be feasting on their 50th wedding anniversary.

Robert L. Blakeslee's 400-page treasure not only shares delicious recipes, but it also starts with the absolute basics and provides step-by-step technique photographs and explanations. On top of that, there are hundreds of tips, photographs of the utensils you'll need, dozens of charts and guides and four-course menus for entertaining. All of that is still what makes this my favorite newlyweds' cookbook; it's just perfect for a summer shower or wedding gift.

What this means is that well before you'll ever fall in love with some fancy potato dish, you'll learn how to make baked potatoes, home fries, hash browns and other classics. Repeat this with every ingredient and food category, both in print and in photo steps, and you see how well versed you'll become.

Blakeslee takes into consideration how your cooking will impact dinner guests and your future children, as well as each other. When teaching how to brew coffee, his tips include everything, even whether your spouse is a morning person or not.

If spouses are not morning people, they might need strong coffee (2 1/2 level tablespoons per 8-ounce cup). If they are, then weak might be good enough (1 1/2 tablespoons). And if they are easy going, moderate would fill the bill (2 tablespoons).

Blakeslee is thorough and informative; therefore, after he clues you in on coffeemakers, choosing the perfect roasts and grinds and steaming milk, he'll fill your belly and your sweetheart's belly with six specialties, including cafe latte and cappuccino.

If you're still in that honeymoon, feed-each-other breakfast stage, take a stab at Blakeslee's basic omelet.

CHEESE OMELET

4 large eggs

4 teaspoons milk or water

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Yields 2 servings.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the milk or water (1 teaspoon per egg). Beat with a whisk or fork until the mixture is well blended and uniform in color.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the eggs, let them cook just a bit, and push in the edges with a spatula to let the uncooked eggs flow to the bottom. This also fluffs up the omelet.

An important tip is that, when added to the pan, the egg mixture should be between 1/4 and 3/8 inches deep.

The thicker the mixture, the more you'll have to fluff. This is so the eggs on the top and bottom of the omelet cook evenly (and the bottom doesn't burn). If the liquid is thinner than 1/4 inch, you will need to fluff only once or twice.

When the eggs are mostly solid, add the cheese to one side.

Use a spatula to fold the half without the cheese over the half with the cheese.

Cook for another minute then serve it up.

Variations: Blakeslee includes 6 variations, including California (5 or 6 slices of avocado and 3 or 4 slices of tomato added with shredded Monterey Jack cheese instead of cheddar and topped with a tablespoon of chunky salsa).

Here's a romantic dinner to share — in the preparation, eating and cleanup!

SHRIMP SCAMPI

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

12 ounces medium to large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (see Note)

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Yields 2 to 3 servings.

Place the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic in a small bowl and mix well.

Cover the bottom of a casserole or baking dish with olive oil and arrange the shrimp on top.

Cover the shrimp with the breadcrumb mixture and top with the butter. Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 25 minutes or until shrimp is cooked and bread crumbs are golden brown. Stir the mixture before serving.

Note: "Although it is not necessary to devein shrimp," writes Blakeslee, "I recommend it. Actually, the 'vein,' which runs along the shrimp's back, is its digestive tract and contains 'you know what.' Although safe to eat, it can be a little gritty. Much of the shrimp you buy has already been deveined.

"To devein shrimp yourself, make a shallow cut through its back from the top of the tail with a sharp knife. (You can do this with shrimp that are peeled or still in the shell.) Open the cut with your fingers and easily remove the vein. A special tool for deveining shrimp in one quick swipe is also available."

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.