Hook, line, and sinker
Letter from the editor
Roses are red, violets are blue, Valentine’s is coming, all I want is foo(d). Yes, I just made that up. Why?
No matter how you feel about the “holiday,” it sort of forces you to make a plan. If you go out, you’re all but guaranteed a jam-packed restaurant and a mediocre tasting menu. You are afforded more flexibility if you stay in and cook. You can make it as special or un-special as you like! But since there’s undeniably a pink, heart-shaped cloud over whatever you choose, you may as well do a little somethin’-somethin’, right?
The Playbook
A few menus for a few scenarios. Mix and match as you see fit.
New-ish couple: Snack on little bits of marinated feta, sip on a glass of chilled white. Hit play on my latest playlist (below). Seal the deal with chef Marc Murphy’s perfectly roasted chicken with vegetables. (It worked for him with his now-wife!) Or, if you’re not trying to seal that deal, maybe go for a stuffed roast pork or a tomato-poached cod with fresh herbs. Not everyone’s trying to get married all the time. Do you. Either way, a strawberry rhubarb fool for dessert.
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Married: Course it out and please don’t eat on the couch (until you get to dessert, anyway). A glass of champagne and a light tomato and carrot soup to start. A classic pot au feu to go with that good bottle of red wine you’ve been saving. Slice up this salted caramel tarte tatin, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Pair it with the inevitable cozy socks-and-sweatpants situation and fire up Netflix.
Married with children: Start by making a bright pink cake all together. With sprinkles! Little is as fun (or messy!) as baking all together. Now, stick with me here. Make two sides: a mixed greens salad with yuzu dressing, topped with whatever raw vegetables they’ll eat: avocado, carrots, cherry tomatoes and a quick ricotta spoonable, served with a sliced baguette. Finally, whip up this excellent 20-minute pasta with spinach. True love by way of ricotta and cake.
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Group of friends: First, they’ll notice the plate of smoked trout, beet, and radish matzo tartines. Then, the perfectly pink pitcher of mezcal mamas. They’ve arrived. As if it could get any better, the main course is seared steak with spicy garlicky miso butter with asparagus. (Take advantage of the evening’s lack of kissing — eat all the garlic.) The grand finale is a chocolate olive oil cake topped with a fluffy cloud of vanilla whipped cream. If that’s not a celebration, what is?
Couldn’t care less: (Gonna cook on Saturday just to prove it.) There’s nothing indulgent on your menu. Nothing cute, nothing lovey-dovey. Just giving you what you asked for. Bah humbug. You get a colorful beet salad, though. You’ll do this simple (and super delicious) sesame soy salmon. And, ooh, a little excitement with a couple of vegan lime pies. Fall asleep watching, I don’t know, Pandemic or Cheer. Equally un-relaxing and un-romantic.
The Playlist
I made you guys a cooking playlist and before you go and do whatever you want with it, here’s how I envision it going down. You and your chosen are in the kitchen together, a bottle of wine is open. It’s evening. Someone’s been to the store. One of you chops while the other starts on the sauce. Dessert is definitely on the menu and that is not a euphemism. You belt it out with Tina Turner, dinner’s starting to smell amazing while Boyz II Men remind you how good R&B was in the 90s, you’re setting the table and lighting candles to the sounds of Mel Torme. Don’t mess this up.
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