The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

I n my perfect world, we would have more than one holiday a year devoted to cele brating love and I suspect we would be all the happier for it. I used to think that Valentine’s Day meant an expensive dinner out with pricey wines and a big bunch of roses, but nowadays, I am relieved when my wife says, “let’s stay in and you cook!” I have to let you in on a secret… there are two days each year I hate to go out to restaurants: Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Why? Well, everyone wants to eat out and restaurants try and turn over as many tables as possible. Attention to detail always suffers and I can’t tell you how many times we have been disappointed with the food and service. Valentine’s day at home isn’t hard to do. Prepare a menu you are comfortable with and do as much preparation as you can in advance. An easy salad with all of the ingredients pre-chopped in ziplock bags, ready to be tossed at the last minute. A simple steak with a few tiny roasted potatoes. Don’t make anything too complicated, or too heavy. Keep the food simple and the wine flowing This year I will again rattle pans in my own kitchen preparing Valentine’s dinner for my wife, who is the glue that keeps our family together. I’ll open a bottle of her favorite red wine, we’ll chat in the kitchen and she will light the candles in the dining room to make the meal feel just a bit more special. We relax withmeandering conversation leading neither here nor there and contemplate hazy future plans for the day when the nest is empty. The food always tastes great because for me, the magic ingredient is her company. Happy Valentine’s Day. VALENTINE’S DINNER FOR TWO

WINTER · VALENTINE’S DINNER FOR TWO

199