Hey reader: What are your V.D. plans??
The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Chop, and Table Hop like a Pro (Almost) (Hardcover)
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Comments (34)
Tonight we're going to Anise Cafe which is a Vietnamese/French fusion place. I know... blech.. fusion. But this place is decent and the atmosphere is romantic.
On Sunday I'll be cooking my husband a nice dinner. (Gravlax, Cream of Asparagus soup, Greek salad, lamb chops w/ sweet pea risotto and bread pudding for dessert). I bought a couple candles and candle holders. I'm going to get a nice bouquet of flowers and even went as far as to print menus. I think he'll be impressed.
Posted by JadedOne | February 14, 2007 6:26 PM
VD? I try to avoid that sort of thing... So itchy.
Posted by Lauren | February 14, 2007 6:34 PM
No date plans, just making myself a nice dinner of my favs with a glass of wine. Marinated flank steak and some fried potatoes. MMM. Happy Valentine's to ME. :)
Posted by CDC | February 14, 2007 7:05 PM
Home, quiet and she's cooking which is a nice flip in our house. And really with it so icy and cold here in DC, it makes you happy to have paid the mortgage this month and that is true romance... okay not really, but it works for this Valentine's day.
Posted by Husband | February 14, 2007 7:09 PM
Antibiotics.
Oh, that VD. Ravioli with homemade guanciale tomato sauce, and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Posted by Phil | February 14, 2007 7:10 PM
Spring Awakening with the b.f.
Posted by Don | February 14, 2007 7:15 PM
The lady and I will be trying a yet-to-be-determined recipe from my newly acquired copy of "All About Braising"! Cheers AG and fellow readers - hope y'all have a wonderful Valentines...
Posted by zeep | February 14, 2007 7:17 PM
Quiet dinner at home, nice beer and then go see friends at a concert. The joys of being single....
Posted by Simon | February 14, 2007 7:27 PM
A date with Friday Night Lights and Lost.
Posted by stsega | February 14, 2007 8:02 PM
I'm making my valentine roasted beet soup with creme fraiche, oven roasted dungeness crab and chocolate covered strawberries - all with champagne. Hope your evening is sweet!
Posted by Amy K | February 14, 2007 8:24 PM
Cooking a meal for my wife with some of her favorite things. Should post in the next couple of days. Oh and we are watching LOST also.
Posted by Chicken Fried Gourmet | February 14, 2007 8:26 PM
We are snowed in, so I cooked dinner for the boy.
Lobster and Beer Risotto
Haricots Verts with Lemon Brown Butter
And for dessert:
Le Fondant Au Chocolat
Vanilla Bean Gelato
It was magnificent!! And now we're sitting around waiting for LOST to come on. :)
Posted by Kerri | February 14, 2007 8:33 PM
I made my wife tenderloin steak with a mushroom/onion garlic pan sauce; baked potato and steamed asparagus.
Not fancy, but it makes her happy!
Posted by Chip Ramsey | February 14, 2007 8:56 PM
Watching tragic movies and drinking lots of wine with my rommate. Nothing like love stories with bad endings on V-day!
Posted by Christina | February 14, 2007 9:28 PM
Whoa, I hope you don't mean *that* kind of VD...
I plan on spending the night with my first love...television.
Posted by Miriam | February 14, 2007 9:28 PM
I'm spending the night with my "forced marriage"--studying. I did make a really good blood orange-beet salad today though :)
Posted by Vincci | February 14, 2007 10:18 PM
My handsome man and I are killing time before we head out to Mark's in West Hollywood for a little lovey-dovey dinner and drink (or two). Not the most fantastic restaurant in the world, but they serve a decent, festive pre-fixe menu and we get to be surrounded by gorgeous men. Actually, any place I go with my guy would make for an absolutely perfect night! Happy Valentine's to you and Craig!
Posted by kevin | February 14, 2007 11:13 PM
Tortellini with spicy sausage and tomato sauce, baked with plenty of cheese, followed by Warm, Soft Chocolate Cake. Mmm.
Posted by CM | February 14, 2007 11:50 PM
Rounded up the gang for a pork-fest at Daisy May's BBQ. Not romantic in the least, but we had a great time. Plus there were red velvet cupcakes and plenty of leftovers!
Posted by Laren | February 15, 2007 12:15 AM
our v-day plans: just some takeout from our favourite italian bistro around the corner and a movie at home, followed by some homemade chocolate pear cake awesomeness, to be posted about post haste.
Posted by iamchanelle | February 15, 2007 12:30 AM
I cooked to avoid the crowds in restaurants. I bought a half bottle of champagne and had pork roast with potatoes and a chocolate tort for dessert. I don't really need flowers or chocolate on VD but I wouldn't turn them down. But if you will empty the dishwasher for me-without being asked-I am yours forever.
Posted by Linda | February 15, 2007 4:48 AM
Went to a parade... hey, it's Mardi Gras and I live in New Orleans. They threw heart shaped beads and flowers... so that was nice.
Posted by Melissa | February 15, 2007 12:43 PM
My man made me gourmet mac and cheese along with garlicky kale and grilled filets. Dessert was a Deathcake (basically a quarter inch of cupcake with almost two inches of chocolate ganache).
It was amazing and I'm really lucky.
Posted by Patricia | February 15, 2007 2:11 PM
The boy and I cooked dinner for his parents:
Warm salad of broccoli rabe, roasted beets, roasted artichoke, and chevre
Seared duck breast and duck leg confit in a balsamic-fig sauce
Sweet potato risotto
Red Velvet Cake with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting
Posted by Rebecca | February 15, 2007 2:35 PM
For us, Valentine's Day is put off until Saturday. So, on that day I will be making Ribeye steaks, Barefoot Contessa's Potato-Fennel Gratin, and also from the Barefoot Contessa, Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry Sauce.
Posted by Jule | February 15, 2007 7:09 PM
I will be making The Regine Truffle, named after my friend who's devotion to chocolate is inspirational. With this truffle I plan not to seduce anyone. In fact as far as I'm concerned there is no third Party, just me and Regine. She is the only one I hope to be seduced by this Valentine's day and if you follow the recipe posted on my blog, you can be seduced by her as well.
(I'm talking about Regine the Truffle silly, not the girl!)
Posted by The Gourmet Peasant | February 16, 2007 10:46 AM
Oops. If you are looking for Regine, try this link instead.
Posted by The Gourmet Peasant | February 16, 2007 10:51 AM
Because I do all of the cooking in our house, my husband always takes me out for Valentine's Day dinner, even though it's a terrible night to visit the restaurants. Our experience wasn't too terrible though. We first went to a wine bar and shared part of a bottle Oregon Pinot Noir, then to the restaurant where we had amazingly good service and just so-so food. I had terribly over-priced lobster and my hub had ribeye steak. both had sides of mashed potatoes (not my favorite at all, but probably easy for the restaurant to produce in mass). We opted out of dessert, but the restaurant gave everyone housemade dark chocolate truffles and the ladies a red rose at the end of dinner anyway. I thought that was a nice value-added touch.
Posted by Shelley (Pink House) | February 16, 2007 10:55 AM
I made my special lady her favorite phad thai and one of those molten chocolate cakes like you get at those fancy pants resturants. Washed it down with a bottle of cava.
Cheers.
Posted by mac | February 16, 2007 11:40 AM
We cooked up some steak tips that we'd marinated overnight, and had them alongside some roasted asparagus w/feta on top. And then we watched "Babette's Feast". One of the best food movies ever! A super cozy night.
Posted by Jess | February 16, 2007 1:07 PM
Pizza and champagne! No one had to cook and we enjoyed the bubbly.
Posted by kjamada | February 16, 2007 2:45 PM
I brought him chocolate-covered strawberries and homemade bread. Not over the top, but a sweet gesture. He made me a simple breakfast, spicy scrambled eggs and toast. All together, a success.
Posted by Caley Walsh | February 16, 2007 3:21 PM
I made cookies with rosewater and topped them with homemade buttercream frosting. I then took edible orchid blossoms and laid them on top. I took them to my wife, who was in the hospital, where she and her nurses enjoyed them very much!
Posted by biscuitbaker | February 16, 2007 8:12 PM
Dear Amateur Gourmet,
Last year I met Craig at around about this time - and it was not until recently that I remembered that he'd mentioned that he had just met this completely fantastic guy who had this food blog. Any how - I was representing a wine called Bellingham at the time... and it was not until I saw your post earlier about travelling to Bellingham with Craig that I put two and two together. Any how - I'm James' cousin Ruarri... and I was wondering if you would mind putting a ransom out on a wine for me. I haven't been able to find it - and needed a to know if anyone knew where to find it. I've written a review on it - which I can send to, and perhaps you could consider. Keep up the awesome work on Amateur Gourmet... I bet you'd be surprised to here that you have a small following in South Africa - I have to friends who are chefs back home and they both independantly mentioned your blog.
Posted by Ruarri | February 24, 2007 6:43 AM