The Portfolio Chef: Satisfy Your Investment Appetite

Susan Thomas is a middle-school guidance counselor, teacher, and social
worker in Milton, Ontario.

Investment adviser Nancy Woods says that an investment portfolio is like
fine dining. You should add investments to your portfolio in the same
way that you introduce new foods to your diet. Just as your diet
includes the basics (meat, potatoes, and vegetables), your portfolio
requires a judicious mix of cash, fixed income, and equities.

Section 1 carefully details the ingredients of a successful investment
portfolio. Each chapter provides an overview of the item accompanied by
a definition of the lingo of the financial world. For example, in
Chapter 1, which deals with savings bonds and GICS, the relevant
definition given is “Accrued interest is the amount of interest you
are entitled to which has accumulated since the last interest
payment.” The chapter concludes with an actual recipe (in this case
“Spinach Dip”) and directions for cooking. Section 2 looks at the
processes that surround investment: brokerage houses, financial
advisers, mutual funds, online investing, and the like.

Written in straightforward language, The Portfolio Chef is not meant to
be the last word on investing, but it’s a good starting point for
novice investors.