What are you making on Valentine's Day?

I admit that I am a sucker for Valentine’s Day. It probably all started on that cold, snowy Valentine’s Day when I was in 3rd grade and Monica Davis gave me some half melted chocolate hearts that she clenched in her nervous, sweaty hand while planting a kiss on my virgin lips. I was stunned and my buddies teased me about it for weeks. But, quite frankly it seemed like a special day.

Fast forward about three decades, and now I am a man and understand what a kiss means on Valentine’s Day. Trust, love, understanding and compassion.

The love and sunshine of my life will be making Spanakopita for our Valentine’s Day brunch and probably planting a kiss or four on my lips. I don’t think any of those grade school buddies will be teasing me.

What are you planning to make on Valentine’s Day?

My Valentine made reservations, but tonight I am making Jenise's Miraton recipe and we are eating in front of the fireplace, that is if our furkid does not get into our face. I'm also making some great muffins for him to have in the freezer. But then I also keep blueberry pancakes and an assortment of muffins for him in there all the time...he is very spoiled!

My Valentine made reservations, but tonight I am making Jenise's Miraton recipe and we are eating in front of the fireplace, that is if our furkid does not get into our face. I'm also making some great muffins for him to have in the freezer. But then I also keep blueberry pancakes and an assortment of muffins for him in there all the time...he is very spoiled!

Gene is very spoiled and quite lucky!

[David M. Bueker]

I don't know yet. Laura has not told me what she wants.

[Jenise]

Dave, I'm so happy you found Jody. Or, did she find you? How'd you meet anyway?

And I'm not making a thing. We're going to be spending the entire day in Vancouver, going to some of the visiting country pavilions and attending ladies hockey, Finland vs. Russia. Dinner might be a burger to go from Daniel Boulud's take-out joint if we can't get in anywhere.

Heavy on tradition at my house: Beef Wellington with sauce perigueux, Stilton scalloped potatoes, steamed broccolini, a simple dessert board (Danish blue, Fiorelle pears, cashews), and a red heart-shaped box of Leonidas chocolates. We'll drink Auslese and an ESJ syrah, and maybe our favorite pink fizz, FRV100.

And I'm not making a thing.

I still remember when someone asked on the old board what we were doing special for Valentine's Day. You replied that you do not do anything special for Valentine's Day because you make every day of the year Bob's Valentine's Day.

You rock.

[Jenise]

And I'm not making a thing.

I still remember when someone asked on the old board what we were doing special for Valentine's Day. You replied that you do not do anything special for Valentine's Day because you make every day of the year Bob's Valentine's Day.

You rock.

Thanks. Have to admit this year I couldn't resist a couple heart-shaped Reese's peanut butter cups--those will go with us tomorrow.

Dave that was a beautiful post. I really enjoyed it. Jody is a lucky girl.

I'm making Len's favorite meal in all the world tomorrow night. Veal Parmesan. Prior to that, we'll be playing "honey golf" with one of our favorite couples. Winners are treated to lunch by the other couple. Can't think of a better way to spend the day.

Sautéed duck breast with green peppercorn sauce, diced potatoes cooked with bacon and onions, sautéed spinach, and for dessert, forbidden rice pudding cooked in coconut milk and garnished with fresh raspberries.

[Jenise]

Sautéed duck breast with green peppercorn sauce, diced potatoes cooked with bacon and onions, sautéed spinach, and for dessert, forbidden rice pudding cooked in coconut milk and garnished with fresh raspberries.

Oh man...now I have to decide whether I'm going to crash your party, Carrie's or Jeff's.

I'm making Len's favorite meal in all the world tomorrow night. Veal Parmesan. Prior to that, we'll be playing "honey golf" with one of our favorite couples. Winners are treated to lunch by the other couple. Can't think of a better way to spend the day.

That beats the heck out of my Valentine's Day! It will be months before it is warm enough here to play Jack and Jill.

Oh man...now I have to decide whether I'm going to crash your party, Carrie's or Jeff's.

The duxelles are made. I just discovered that the Wellies will cook completely while the potatoes cool off... which means... no traffic jam in the oven!

So, all is well. I didn't like how the sauce perigueux came out; need a new recipe. The rest went well.

Sautéed duck breast with green peppercorn sauce, diced potatoes cooked with bacon and onions, sautéed spinach, and for dessert, forbidden rice pudding cooked in coconut milk and garnished with fresh raspberries.

The duck breast was great (although I forgot the peppercorns ). The potatoes and spinach were good, and the rice pudding, as always, was superb. It all (except the dessert) went well with a 1983 Ch. Latour (not so coincidentally or wedding year). Duck recipe to follow.

I had a little Sip and Savor last evening with another couple. We started the evening with a wine evaluation involving Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve (France), Vilarnau Cava Barut (Spain) and Roserer Estates Brut (California).

Valentine's Champage Evaluation Forms.jpg

Valentine Wine Evaluators.jpg

With the wines and on the menu were:

Romanoff Caviar Pie (remember that one?)
Olive's Olives (a la Todd English)
Tom Douglas' Crab Cakes (Etta's), with Roasted Red Pepper Romesco
Kasuzuke (black cod)
Ginger Coconut Rice
Braied carrots and fennel with oranges
Molten Chocolate Mousse Cake
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Valentine's Caviar Pie.jpg

Chocolate Molten Mousse Cake.jpg

For 4 hours we ate, drank and pretended to be adults. Today, I clean up!!

Great post, Dave.
Our Valentine's was a bit subdued, as Betsy was under the weather. Matzoh ball soup for lunch, then I made a couple of pizzas (one based on recipe she saw Sat on a Jacques Pepin show). But I did give her a couple of gifts. And despite her cold she enjoyed some chocolates a friend had delivered Saturday- Jacques Torres' Champagne Taittinger Truffles.

We took advantage of the unique convergence of Valentine's Day and Chinese Lunar New Year to have a dinner of Peking duck, sauteed vegetables and rice (thereby including Andrew in the meal) with some chocolate-dipped totally-out-of-season strawberries for dessert. No wine, alas, as it was Sunday night.

Gung Hay Fat Choy (as my Cantonese-American schoolmates would say lo those many years ago) and Happy Year of the Tiger!
Mark Lipton