Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Valentine’s Day Meal Ideas

A lot of people have been asking my opinion on what to cook for Valentine’s Day. My advice falls into a couple of different categories you’ll find below. But one thing is certain; it’s Valentine’s day- a good opportunity to do something special for your loved one. Any night of the year can be pizza and a movie night; I think you should do something special.

  • Recreate a special meal. One our first date I cooked dinner for my Fiancé. It was a write-off, I substituted dried parsley for fresh and the pasta turned out to be a crunchy mess. I had been thinking for quite some time now that I need to re-create the meal (albeit with fresh parsley). This is a good Valentine’s Day idea because it will show your significant other that you remember important things about the relationship, hence that you care about the relationship. Important note, there is a risk factor here- if you mistakenly make the meal that you made for another girl it might not be good. I’m probably going to re-create the meal from the night I proposed. She has been craving Osso Bucco for a few weeks so I know she’ll love it.
  • Finger food. There is something sensual about watching someone eat with their hands and lick their fingers. So try a menu that you can eat with your hands. Sushi might work well. Lots of appetizers like Phyllo Coureur des Bois, Bruschetta, cheese & pâté with crackers, dumplings, stuffed mushroom caps. Chicken wings aren’t very romantic but any guy would thank you. There’s also lots of finger licking going on with chicken wings, or ribs for that matter. Think about pairing it with a nice bottle of wine. For dessert I would suggest fresh strawberries. There are a few different things you could do with strawberries: you could dip them in nutella and serve them with Port, you could dip them in plain yogurt and then brown sugar or you could just dip them in chocolate for a classic Valentine’s Day treat.
  • Take your time and make it a long night. Valentine’s Day is an occasion to take time with your loved one, a long time to really enjoy each other’s company. There are a number of long meals that really let you relax and enjoy. I suggest either a fondue or a raclette. Make sure to have more than 1 bottle of wine, because in my experience you’ll probably need them.

If you have other ideas feel free to share them in the comments. I’d love to hear what works for you. Whatever you do, make it special and tell those close to you how important they are and how much they mean to you. Happy Valentine’s Day.