Cooking on Valentine’s Day? The idea might not immediately strike you as an attractive one if you’d been planning on taking it easy this weekend, but if your favourite restaurant is already fully booked, home-cooking could be a better and far more relaxing option than struggling to find a last-minute deal.
Aside from avoiding a nightmarish table-booking rush, the forced ‘romantic’ atmosphere of many restaurants and additional sneaky additional charges, cooking as a couple is one of those ‘bonding’ activities that can help develop your relationship. What better day to do it than Valentine’s?
Of course there’s always the chance that you’ll squabble over spilt milk or one partner will discover his or her inner Gordon Ramsay, but creating something together can bring couples closer.
To make this a pleasant bonding experience rather than a fraught one, make sure you’ve decided on a menu in good time, set aside enough time (preferably the whole day!) to purchase, prepare and cook the food and have agreed on who’s doing what.
If the more confident partner wants to declare him or herself ‘head chef’ for the event, make sure that’s sorted out long before you start peeling potatoes!
Your choice of menu will of course be a very personal one, but some food options work better than others when love is in the air. For obvious reasons, overly spicy food is usually considered a no-go, but light, bite-sized foods or sharing plates make excellent romantic options. Think about what dishes you most enjoy when you’re out together and find out how you can interpret them at home.
The main challenge for those attempting a home-cooked Valentine’s meal is creating a suitably special and romantic mood. Candles and music are tried and tested ways to achieve this, but there are plenty more personal touches you can give your home to make it cosier and more inviting.
The obvious - but often overlooked first step – is to give the house a thorough clean so you’ll feel comfortable relaxing there, but you can also bring in fresh flowers, light a fire (it will certainly be cold enough this weekend) or maybe make some DIY table decorations: wine glass charms or your own fabric place mats to transform your dining experience.
The food itself can also help here: If you’re planning to bake, why not make some heart-shaped biscuits to help set the mood? You could also have a think about creating your own special cocktail, named after something that’s unique or important to your partner and you. Don’t worry about being too soppy – the situation demands it!
Image: Or Hiltch
