Hot Valentines Disinclined to Cook? Yes You Can Fake It
Rescue 101
Now now. Not everyone wants to sweat it at the stove (maybe somewhere else ;-)). Yet homemade has the ring of authentic love to it. What to do? I didn’t invent any of the below but am blessed with the experience of exquisite taste.
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A classic Italian dessert is exactly what you see on top —No, not chocolate sauce!! How common is that! You want SPECIAL, with sophistication, right?
Drizzle fresh strawberries liberally with the traditional aged balsamico. Aged 25 years and up in successive small wooden barrels, DOP certified (Denominazione di Origine Protetta). Find it in specialty stores or the ever-so-friendly online store. Ohh so taaangy-sweeeet~~mellow~~intense. This evokes the charming depths of Modena and Reggio-Emilia, Italy, calling for eons of loving care and passion.
Holy Roman Emperor Henry III sampled a bottle in 1046 on his way to coronation and gave balsamico its instant fame.
You may macerate the strawberries directly in balsamico for about 20 minutes for maximum flavor. For a lighter color, you may substitute with lemon juice and castor sugar before drizzling the dense, caramel-colored love potion. If you have organic, garden-grown strawberries, bless you! Skip the maceration, drizzle away.
Savor a teaspoonful of this syrupy vinegar before serving. Slurp it up.
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You may not be an expert in cooking, but can certainly be an expert in arranging. Source mature cheeses — the umami or kokumi, whatever you’d like to identify the cheeses with, is important. Gorgonzola piccante for its bluish-green marbling and robust flavor, aged parmigiano reggiano for the surprise crunchy crystals releasing savory tastebuds, a creamy brie for the melty feel, and a medium cheese like Emmental will round up nicely.
Special touch — crispy, layered, waffle-like Asian eggrolls in addition to crostini. You’ll appreciate it when sweetness, saltiness, creaminess, and crunch all come together for your jaded palate.
Ah, a bit of quince jam gels balances it all. Classic bits of dried fruit and the slightly-bitter walnuts add complexity. Don’t skip them.
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I borrowed this idea from a lovely watering hole. Wines are charming. But on days you feel like a warm mock-tail — fuzzy drink sans alcohol — this is gorgeous. You can always add your favorite spirit, right?
Locate fresh grapefruit or any citrus of your choice. Shake together hot water (not boiling), fresh grapefruit juice, honey, a dash of maple syrup, and yes, a dash of sea salt. Serve in stemware for hot drinks (ceramic or glass). Voila! Under the weather in February? Got you covered ;-)
Why stemware? Stemware has the magic call for those present to mind their manners, a sommelier once shared. In the presence of a stemmed glass, the user suddenly becomes aware of their posture, turns in a certain manner, and lifts the glass with decorum. That’s regardless of preserving the temperatures of drinks served. I wonder if the history of the revered chalice has something to do with it — the body is wired to react to the shape.
Either way, Happy Valentine’s Day — every day! ❤️🌹❤️
For fun in my culinary poetics, delve in here.
© 2023 Pseu Pending (Seu)
Thanks to Everything Fun for hosting this piece!
