A Romantic Night In…

Romantic Dinner for Two

Valentine’s Day has traditionally been a time for guys to pull out all the stops; to wine, dine and pamper the women, or men, in their lives. For those of us who would rather take the upper hand and throw tradition out the door there’s nothing more enticing then creating a romantic and sexy meal you can languidly feed each other. The simple ideas to follow won’t bog you down with crazy lists of dishes to prepare but does offer a variety of flavours, textures and tantalizing ingredients that won’t leave you too exhausted for post-meal fun once the dishes are cleared.

 

Too Hot to Handle

The lights are dim, the candles are burning and things are warming up as you feed each other rich slices of beef, exotic oysters, plump shrimp and delicate vegetables briefly cooked in a simmering broth fragrant with fresh ginger and scallions. A “Lovers’ Hot Pot” takes the traditional, Chinese, communal dish to a more intimate level when shared by two and adds a little extra heat to the romantic fire. Moving from lighter items, like vegetables or delicate seafood, to heartier items, like beef, pork or noodles, will eliminate the need for an appetizer course and still leave you both feeling satisfied; at least outside of the bedroom.

Here’s a chance to splurge on key ingredients such as Kobe beef, Berkshire pork tenderloin, Kumamoto oysters, jumbo shrimp, exotic baby vegetables and black trumpet mushrooms. There’s something powerfully sensual about feeding the one you love be it with a fork, spoon, fingers or chopsticks. If chopsticks aren’t your strong suit a little laughter and chasing after slippery noodles will only add an element of playfulness and fun that can carry forward into the evening.

Sweets for my sweet

No need to fuss over a hot oven trying an intricate cake recipe or precarious soufflé. Fresh, unusual fruits paired with tongue teasing drizzles and spreads make for yet another “hands on” experience. Juicy Asian pears dipped into ginger infused honey, golden star fruit drizzled with ruby red pomegranate syrup, perfectly ripe banana slices spread with cardamom infused dark chocolate ganache or glowing chunks of ripe papaya nestled in a cloud of passion fruit whipped cream add a light, erotic end to dinner.

Add a chilled bottle, or two, of champagne, a little imagination and this meal will leave you both in the mood for seeing what other senses you can creatively pique before the night is out.

Logan Niles

 

This is an article reprint via Prosper Magazine.

Image credits: Logan Niles/2007

 

Dinner Parties Made Easy

With the rise of cooking shows on TV it’s become more and more enticing to try your hand at throwing an amazing culinary event; be it for your favourite friends, your boyfriend or the in-laws-to-be. We all know how easy they make it look on TV, but what are some of the tricks of the trade that can help keep your party on the track to success?

Keep It Simple
If you’re just starting out with hosting your own parties or trying to show off more advanced dishes, it’s still best to err on the side of simplicity. Nothing brings the fun mood of a party down more than a harried hostess dashing from kitchen to dining room all night in a panicked, sweaty rush. Choose menu items that don’t require a lot of last minute work, hours of fine dicing or hard to find ingredients. Sometimes creative variations on an old theme can impress guests as much as the latest and greatest craze. Family-style service is always easier for new party throwers, since formal dining takes up more utensils, dishes and a lot more of your time in the kitchen. Having guests serve themselves from platters and casseroles laid out on a nicely decorated table lends an air of comfort and relaxation that is ideal for getting old friends together and introducing new friends to the group. Besides, the whole idea of throwing a dinner party is to sit and enjoy your time with friends, not playing professional waiter.

Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of others. No professional chef can do it all without the help of prep cooks and sous chefs, so why should you? If you have friends who love to cook invite them over to help out the day or evening before. Open a bottle of wine and have them do little tasks that would normally take time away from actually cooking. Peeling carrots, slicing vegetables or picking herbs from their stems can be tedious work when done alone, but fun while sharing a little gossip and laughter.

Buck Convention

Necessity is the mother of invention and so don’t shy away from mixing in non-conventional methods to get things done and keep you sane. Why spend hours hand slicing vegetables when a $45 Japanese mandolin can do some of the work for you? This simple slicer is made from durable, light-weight plastic, the changeable blades are wicked sharp and can slice vegetables from paper thin to a quarter of an inch thick with expert precision. Today’s gourmet markets also offer a plethora of pre-made foods that can serve as the base for your recipes. Fresh meat and seafood stocks, demi glace for sauces, fresh pastas, tartlet shells, and perfectly cleaned shrimp or oven-ready hors d’oeuvres. Spending a little extra money and cutting a few corners during preparation can mean the difference between being ready when your guests arrive versus scrambling around making apologies because your chicken stock took too long to reduce.

Bar None
Skip the complex bar resembling your local watering hole. Not only is it expensive to maintain but it will take up needed space in today’s smaller condos and homes. Instead make up 2-3 specialty cocktails you can serve in pitchers for martini style or “on the rocks” drinks. This way guests can serve themselves quickly, effortlessly and you’re not stuck bartending.

Clean As You Go

This simple rule will keep your kitchen from looking like a food bomb hit it when guests arrive.  Rinse and re-use mixing bowls whenever possible, clean cutting boards and counters frequently and load your dishwasher as you go. A clean kitchen will help keep you organized and thinking clearly.

Combining all of these steps can help take you from fumbling kitchen novice to the Martha Stewart of your dreams. A little careful planning, organization and outside help will mean the difference between success and embarrassment. Have fun and start planning your next dinner party!

This is an article reprint via Prosper Magazine.

Image credits:

©  iStockphoto.com/Saso Novoselic (second image)

©  iStockphoto.com/Ed O’Neill (first image)