Going out to dinner for Valentine’s Day is a commitment. You have to plan your reservation weeks, if not months, in advance; the menus are exorbitantly overpriced and often leave you with little choice of what to order.
Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can easily create a romantic evening that will sweep your partner off their feet in the comfort of your own home.
Below is how you can spice things up.
Plan ahead
As excited as you are about a candlelight dinner for two, cooking for someone else is a bit like putting on a show, and can be stressful. The most important thing you can do is to plan to guarantee that every part of the evening brings in the wow-factor.
Set the menu
Hopefully, the two of you have been out to a restaurant a few times and you’ve paid attention to what they like to eat and drink. If not, play it safe and ask. They may be vegetarian, they may have an allergy, or may loathe an ingredient. They’ll feel flattered that you are taking the trouble to find out, and you’ll be happy you didn’t serve them crème brûlée when, in fact, they’re lactose intolerant.
On the night, the most important item on your romantic dinner menu is the two of you, so keep things simple and take the pressure off yourself. The more variables on your menu, the more chances of something going wrong.
This is not the moment to experiment with something new. If you aren’t an experienced cook, choose a recipe with ingredients and preparation techniques you’re familiar with.
And, as much as you might like hamburgers or ribs, they may feel awkward eating messy foods on a romantic night. A simple penne or ravioli pasta with a tasty sauce is a great option or try an easy one-pot dish - good for meat-eaters and vegetarians - served with a crisp salad and fresh ciabatta on the side.
You could, of course, order in and put the food in your own dishes before they arrive, but there’s something irresistibly heartfelt about making the food yourself. You don’t need to be a master chef - the fact that you’ve made the effort will impress and make them feel special.
Choose the setting
If you have an outdoor area, make the magic of a balmy al fresco evening work for you. String up fairy lights for a feeling of enchantment, place comfortable chairs outside and kick the evening off by watching the sunset together over a glass of bubbly.
Bonus points if you have a cosy throw at the ready in case they get chilly as the evening closes in, and a lantern to create a cosy glow as the light fades. If you have a pool, float dozens of tealight candles in the pool for a spectacularly dreamy effect.
Set out a blanket and piles of cushions and serve up exotic cocktails for a passionate resort getaway vibe. If you don’t have a pool but have a garden or a balcony, deck the space out with candles in different colours, shapes, and sizes.
Buy ingredients the day before
Shop ahead for all the ingredients you need for your menu, and drinks. Make a shopping list before you go to avoid last-minute dashes for ice, matches for the candles, or dessert. It’s worth buying a back-up dish to keep on hand as a Plan B. If something goes spectacularly wrong with the cooking, you can always whip out a ready-made lasagne out of the fridge and save your dinner.
Cooking on the day
Prep ahead as much as possible. Your attention needs to be on your date - making great conversation and having fun - so you don’t want to stress about doing too much cooking while she’s there.
Acquaint yourself with the recipe - read it through and see what you need to do ahead of time, like soaking the rice or taking the butter out of the fridge ahead of time to get it softened. Take out everything you need to cook, like knives, cutting boards, serving bowls, and platters, and prepare as much of your recipe as you possibly can.
Set the table with a nice tablecloth, table settings, glasses, candles, and flowers. Switch off your computer, TV and get rid of any other distractions.
You should also prepare a platter of light snacks for her to tuck into when they arrive. Hummus with pita chips and fresh veggies is easy to prepare ahead of time, but if you’re feeling bold, serve aphrodisiac delicacies like oysters or asparagus.
A touch of sweetness
After dinner, you definitely won’t want to be heading back into the kitchen for more cooking, so have ice-cream in the freezer to serve with berries if she feels like pudding. An oh-so-easy treat is a simple affogato. Just pour a shot of espresso (or strong brewed coffee) over a few scoops of vanilla ice-cream - delicious!