Whether you celebrate it as a family, with friends or as a couple, Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to get together with your loved ones over a nice meal .
Some prefer to go out to a restaurant on Valentine’s Day but why not share a home cooked meal with your favorite person at home?
And since there is no reason these days to give love and bring a little joy, let’s go all out to celebrate the holiday of love, with family, friends, roommates or couples!
A beautiful table and decorations to celebrate Valentine’s Day
Here are some decorations and equipment to bring a little Valentine’s Day, hearts and roses into your home.
Good to know, most of these tools can be re-used the rest of the year on other occasions.
Cooking for Valentine’s day
We’ve also prepared some perfect Valentine’s Day recipes that are easy to cook and delicious!
The goal here is to simplify the preparation, so that you can make the most of the time spent with your loved ones without sacrificing taste.
Foods known to be aphrodisiacs
If you’re planning a romantic dinner or evening, you can also incorporate a few “aphrodisiac” foods into your menu. Of course it’s not scientifically proven, but it will keep the conversation going!
Rather, these are foods that would affect your mood, provide energy or stimulate the production of serotonin or dopamine.
Some examples:
- cheese, especially mozzarella, which is rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that stimulates the production of serotonin, the hormone responsible for happiness
- chocolate;
- ginger;
- oysters;
- mushrooms;
- asparagus.
What drinks to serve on Valentine’s Day?
To start the evening, there is nothing better than a cocktail or a glass of bubbles, accompanied by appetizers or even a cheese board.
Or you can also choose to go with a pink and romantic theme with one of these 7 wine, cider and bubbly rosés suggestions.
The Grand 75
A fruity and sparkling cocktail thanks to champagne and the citrus flavors of Grand Marnier.
Bellini Bottega
A simplified version of the classic Bellini cocktail to replace your mimosas at brunch
Bites and appetizers for Valentine’s Day
For starters, opt for light and fresh dishes. If you want to make your meal a little more convivial, you can simply serve platters of cold cuts and cheeses as main courses.
Grilled octopus salad
Head to the Mediterranean region with this easy and festive recipe of grilled octopus salad, paired with a pinot grigio spumante.
Scallop ceviche with lime, strawberries and fennel recipe
A tasty and fresh starter that can be prepared quickly. It has summer written all over it!
Prosciutto wrapped asparagus with smoked cheddar
3 easy steps to make these oven-baked asparagus rolls with prosciutto and smoked cheddar. You can serve them as an appetizer or a side dish.
Greek salad and grilled halloumi cheese
A fresh and delicious salad reminiscent of holidays on the Greek Islands
Oysters au gratin "Rockfeller style"
An easy recipe of oysters au gratin Rockfeller style, with spinach, garlic and parmesan, and without béchamel sauce.
Main course
For the main course, I suggest you choose recipes that don’t require too much preparation during the evening. You want to spend time in good company, not in front of the oven!
Braised and Pulled Turkey Pasta
These braised turkey pasta, in a white wine sauce with tender vegetables, are the perfect example of comforting and delicious food.
Grilled Turkey Cutlets with Lemon, Capers and White Wine Sauce
Lovers of lemony and sunny dishes, this recipe for grilled turkey cutlets topped with a lemon, white wine and caper sauce will delight you!
Desserts, with or without chocolate, for Valentine’s Day
For dessert , why not opt for a dessert board, which has the advantage of being friendly and greedy!
Otherwise, chocolate covered strawberries are always a winner! You can pair this with a good digestive or an alcoholic coffee and the trick is done.