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A Romantic Evening
from the GourmetSleuth
I am one of those women that
finds virtue in cooking a nice meal at home. Just like the New Years holiday, the
restaurants are jam-packed and the food and service quality goes down in direct
relationship to the increase in price. Don't get me wrong, I love a great restaurant as
much as the next person but after an evening of romance I prefer to be comfortable in my
home for the "after dinner" festivities. If you are planning a romantic night "in" this
Valentines, then here are some suggestions to help make your evening a success.
It takes more effort to
plan an elegant, romantic evening at home than it does to make a reservation and pick up
candy and flowers at the grocery store--but the former will give you a sense of
accomplishment and reward. Best of all, elegant does not have to mean expensive or too
time consuming.
Romantic Meal Dining Tips
If you love to cook and have the time knock
yourself out! But don’t spend so much time cooking and cleaning that you lose sight
of the goal which is to have a romantic evening with your lover.
Alcohol and Beverages
If you
choose to drink, keep the amount of alcohol to a minimum (a glass or 2 of wine or
champagne). Excessive alcohol will make you too drowsy for the after-dinner romance.
Excellent alternatives are sparking juices such as Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple or
Sparkling Apple-Cranberry cider. If you are in the U.S. and have a Trader Joe's in your
area you will find a delicious variety of French Sparking Fruit Juices. For before dinner
drinks try GourmetSleuth's own Key Lime Spritzer.
Our Meal
Suggestion
Keep the meal flavorful and not too heavy.
Overeating will most likely leave you feeling sleepy rather than erotic. The portion for
the salmon main course is more than ample. Unless you have large appetites you may
prefer to split one entrée between the two of you.
Passion Fruit Champagne Cocktails
Exotic passion fruit enhances the traditional champagne cocktail.
Salmon and Rice Wrapped in Pastry With Dill Sauce
This is an elegant and not difficult main course. The presentation is sophisticated and
the dill sauce is delicate and delicious.
Fresh Asparagus With Lemon & Butter (no
recipe)
Steam the asparagus lightly and serve the sauce in separate small ramekins. This is
an excellent food to feed each other. Use your fingers, pick up the asparagus, dip
it in the sauce and feed your lover.
Chocolate
Espresso Pots de Creme
Ah, the best of all worlds wrapped in one perfect
dessert. Our recipe features dark chocolate combined with espresso. Serve this
dessert in our perfect pots de creme cups.
French Press
Coffee
Coffee is a natural stimulant that increases circulation and a perfect way to accent the
end of your meal. If you don't' own a French Press
Coffee (Cafetiere) now is a
perfect time to buy one! The press makes a wonderful tableside (or bedside)
presentation and the coffee is full bodied and extremely flavorful.
After Dinner Treats
Drinks, dinner, and dessert is just a prelude to the main event of the evening. You
may want to skip the dessert course and have dessert in bed. A wonderful selection
of fresh fruit cleaned and cut into bite size pieces (such as grapes, strawberries, or
mango) along with freshly whipped, sweetened cream, makes a perfect "in-bed"
dinner finale.
Chocolate, Oysters and Other
Aphrodisiacs
There is much speculation about the affects of certain
foods as a "catalyst for love". Here is some information about aphrodisiacs from a medical point of view. Read about the
stimulating benefits of chocolate.
More Recipe Suggestions
Fondue for two - Fondue can be
delicious, playful and very romantic. It can also be very filling so make small amounts.
Our article discusses all about this wonderful meal, including recipes.
Cosmopolitan Cocktails - Pink, pretty (and potent).
A sexy Valentine's evening dinner drink.
Creme Brulee - Serve in
pretty heart-shaped ramekins.
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Recipes for Love
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Passion Fruit Champagne cocktails
1 cup chilled passion fruit blend nectar
1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters
1 cup chilled champagne or other sparkling white wine
4 fresh raspberries or small strawberries
1 orange slice, cut in half
Divide nectar and bitters between 2 chilled champagne flutes. Add champagne. Drop 2
berries into each drink. Garnish with orange.
Key
Lime Spritzer
Pour tonic
water into a "old fashion" glass filled with ice. Squeeze in the juice from a
wedge of lime and place the wedge in the glass. For Valentines variation, thread 2 red
maraschino cherries on a cocktail pick and add to the drink before serving.
A Fantasy Evening
My favorite Valentines Day surprise for my
lover took place in one room of my then old (and slightly dilapidated) house. I converted
the room into a French café. I covered each of the interior doors using white butcher
paper, decorated to look like curtains. I moved the dining table into the room along with
chairs. I even used a large piece of cardboard and used acrylic paints to create a
fireplace with a mantle.
The table was set with a nice tablecloth,
flowers, candles, and simple white dinnerware. In the fantasy I was the waitress, dressed
in a very revealing white dress. I waited on my man "patron" and took care of
his "every" need. Although it was very simple and very inexpensive, neither of
us will ever forget that Valentines Day. All the props were things I had around the house.
The only cost was for the food and wine
Other Resources
A humorous Valentines Day
History from Salon.com
The Better Sex Diet by Lynn
Fischer. Offers suggestions to put the zing back in your love life through
proper, low cholesterol cooking.
Romance Preparations
The wonderful thing about the
"basics" of life is that you can accomplish these tasks with as little or as
much money as you have to spend. Here are some simple but effective tips to light the
flames of your love life.
Clean the house A
gourmet meal served in a house that looks like it was just struck by Ghengis Kahn and his
men, leaves much romance to be desired. A clean and orderly "nest" allows you to
focus on the beauty of each other and your surroundings rather than the clutter and
distractions of your everyday life.
Just Too Busy? If you are simply too busy to clean treat yourself and hire
a cleaning service. Check the yellow pages or those weekly coupons for a local service
company. For less than the price of a moderately priced "special" dinner out you
can get the house cleaned up and ready for that special evening.
Fresh Flowers and Candles Put fresh flowers and candles in each room you'll be using including
the kitchen, dining area, bathroom and bedroom. Flowers bring beauty, fragrance, and
color. Depending on the part of the country you live in you may be able to pick
flowers or blossoms from your yard. Simple arrangements from materials in your
garden can be every bit as lovely as the florist's variety. Votive candles are a great
choice for safety, just in case you get distracted and forget to put them out before you
get otherwise occupied. If your flowers are fragrant select unscented candles so you
don't get conflicting scents.
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