Oh Valentine’s Day, I still don’t know what to think about you. I love you for your friendly red and white decorations, the familiar taste of candy hearts and the timeless thrill of receiving flowers (humble tulips please, not red roses!). But you irk me too. A day to declare your love? Really? How insincere and ostentatious of you. After all, shouldn’t we be saying it every day? And don’t get me started on how commercialized you’ve become. Shame, shame, shame. At the end of the day though, your invitation to indulge in a lavish meal never fails to win me over.
When we first started dating, Konrad and I hit the Valentine’s Day restaurant scene with gusto: Soiree, West Side Lounge, Upstairs on the Square and others. I’d don my favorite strappy red dress, Konrad a shinny red tie and out we’d go. Then something changed; we wised up to the ridiculously inflated prices and got annoyed. We’ve been feting the occasion at home ever since. The results might not be quite as gourmet, but its still fun and pretty darn tasty too. Last year, Risotto Stuffed Red Peppers were on our menu followed by Chocolate Stout Cake with ganache frosting. I forget what came the year before that except that it ended with Chocolate Orange Cake made by yours truly, which is really the most important part anyhow.
Celebrating a couple days early, this year savory Ricotta Dumplings, peppered with minced chives, graced our table. We served the little darlings, dressed in a festive red pepper sauce, following a simple salad. For dessert, we munched on chocolate-covered cocoa nibs and popped Anne of Green Gables into the DVD player. Another plus to the holiday? The ability to sweet talk suitors (or husbands) into watching movies they ordinarily wouldn’t under the guise of romance. In this case though, Konrad gets extra points for laughing at all the right places and sticking through both parts. Admittedly it was a half-hearted affair (sorely lacking home-baked treats!), thanks to my third-wheel of a migraine that tagged along (and for most of the weekend!), but an enjoyable time nonetheless.
Celebrating a couple days early, this year savory Ricotta Dumplings, peppered with minced chives, graced our table. We served the little darlings, dressed in a festive red pepper sauce, following a simple salad. For dessert, we munched on chocolate-covered cocoa nibs and popped Anne of Green Gables into the DVD player. Another plus to the holiday? The ability to sweet talk suitors (or husbands) into watching movies they ordinarily wouldn’t under the guise of romance. In this case though, Konrad gets extra points for laughing at all the right places and sticking through both parts. Admittedly it was a half-hearted affair (sorely lacking home-baked treats!), thanks to my third-wheel of a migraine that tagged along (and for most of the weekend!), but an enjoyable time nonetheless.
Oh Valentine’s Day, you get me every time.
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| My Furry Valentine |
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