Valentine's Day

[Jasminebed]

There is not romantic love in my life, but I do have a love affair with food. While I may not have been the first, I had not heard the term before for "palantine's day".

Even when I did have a partner, I usually preferred to cook at home, as VD is not always the best night in a restaurant, and quite often it is a set or limited menu.

If I have someone to have dinner with, I love a classic cheese fondue. It is pretty much impossible to do for one, as you can't eat fast enough (or at least I can't) to keep the cheese from scorching on the bottom if the pot.

I bought some saffron and some Carnaroli rice at Xmas time, and I still have scallops in the freezer, so that is a front-runner for a solo meal, even if I've had it twice in past 6 weeks (second time was little bay scallops).

I have also bought two frozen ducks, and rare duck breast with a port and some kinda fruit sauce and glace is my last supper if I get advance notice. One of the two ducks is HUGE, over 7lbs, and I plan to eat one breast (with leftovers or a guest), make duck proscuitto with the other, and my annual duck confit. I am actually considering making a roast duck the the other, something I have not made in maybe 25 years since I discovered rare duck breast!.

I remember making meatloaf and mashed potatoes one year for my sweetheart, as he travelled a lot and missed simple comfort food.

Being in Canada, most casinos specials will start at 7 pm the day before for me, so I might get a little slotting in. That's more of a love/hate relationship at times.

What are your plans?

 

[dionysus]

I plan on treating the 14th like any other Friday, maybe a soak out back and a drink or 2; I'm single but of a mind, like most holidays, it's an arbitrary day that feeds stores more than your soul...if ya love someone, do something special 'just because' not because 'you're supposed to' on the calendar

 

[Borgie]

There is not romantic love in my life, but I do have a love affair with food. While I may not have been the first, I had not heard the term before for "palantine's day".

Even when I did have a partner, I usually preferred to cook at home, as VD is not always the best night in a restaurant, and quite often it is a set or limited menu.

If I have someone to have dinner with, I love a classic cheese fondue. It is pretty much impossible to do for one, as you can't eat fast enough (or at least I can't) to keep the cheese from scorching on the bottom if the pot.

I bought some saffron and some Carnaroli rice at Xmas time, and I still have scallops in the freezer, so that is a front-runner for a solo meal, even if I've had it twice in past 6 weeks (second time was little bay scallops).

I have also bought two frozen ducks, and rare duck breast with a port and some kinda fruit sauce and glace is my last supper if I get advance notice. One of the two ducks is HUGE, over 7lbs, and I plan to eat one breast (with leftovers or a guest), make duck proscuitto with the other, and my annual duck confit. I am actually considering making a roast duck the the other, something I have not made in maybe 25 years since I discovered rare duck breast!.

I remember making meatloaf and mashed potatoes one year for my sweetheart, as he travelled a lot and missed simple comfort food.

Being in Canada, most casinos specials will start at 7 pm the day before for me, so I might get a little slotting in. That's more of a love/hate relationship at times.

What are your plans?

I think i will come visit you ! Sample your cooking lol

 

[goatwack]

Still smarting from Christmas & New Year's, so with that said she'll get a glass of water & pat on the head

 

[dionysus]

Still smarting from Christmas & New Years, so with that said she'll get a glass of water & pat on the head

oh come now, splurge on some screw top wine and wish her a Happy Valeaster

 

[ternur]

Well my plans for the rest of the night is searching the freezer for some duck and scallops. Both which I love dearly. Some steamed rice and maybe some broccolini in oyster sauce on the side.

That post made me hungry.

 

[Jasminebed]

Screw tops are a perfectly fine way to package wine not meant to be cellared. 40 years ago, only bad wines had screw tops, but then we hit a cork shortage, and honestly, synthetic corks are probably not as good as screwcaps.

I do love sparkling wine, but not usually proseccos. Spanish Cavas or Henkel Trocken perhaps. I have had a couple of Austrailian and Canadian ones that were fine, but usually more expensive than Spain. I should see what wines are on sale at the LCBO, that might influence my dinner plans.

Ternur, I love anything Oyster sauce, but I think it would overwhelm scallops. Maybe leftover roast duck with scallion pancakes would be good. Scallion pancakes are one of the new things I intend to make for first time.

Anyone here at CM wants to come to dinner, they will be more than welcome. If you do the dishes, you will be invited back, lol.

 

[Jasminebed]

If anyone needs a killer dessert for VD, I can't recommend this enough, but make the switch to using coffee instead of water. I've never iced it.

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I think I posted a pic here a few years back of this. I have a couple of little silicon heart molds I bought at the dollar store years ago, both of them make about half a small cheesecake or similar.

 

[dionysus]

I do love sparkling wine, but not usually proseccos. Spanish Cavas or Henkel Trocken perhaps. I have had a couple of Austrailian and Canadian ones that were fine, but usually more expensive than Spain. I should see what wines are on sale at the LCBO, that might influence my dinner plans.

ever year round spring, maybe a week or 2 from now (close nuff) I'll order 60 bottles of flavoured wines to begin stocking the house for sunny weather
works out to around $3/bottle, much more economic than buying as needed

 

[Jasminebed]

Sorry, it does not seem to be loading, google epicurious bete noire

 

[Jasminebed]

Happy Valentine's Day all. Yesterday I had the chance to go grocery shopping, so I had decided I would delay my solo VD dinner until Sunday, a day I usually try to enjoy a nice meal, even in my early 20s on my own in my first solo apartment.

But this morning, plans just took a turn. My buddy called from a grocery store that had boxes of 33 oysters on for $15. Yes please. I am halfway through the bottle of cava, (well, including the one I just sat down with) and my wrists are sore from opening oysters. I am sure I was not an oyster shucker in a past life. I received a very nice bottle of unpasteurized grape vinegar for Xmas, made an excellent rift on a classic mignotte. Frozen scallops can wait for another occasion, or perhaps just another Sunday.