I’ve written all
sorts of scenes that have included some sort of dining experience and it
occurred to me the reason might be because eating engages all of the senses. We
can all remember being told not to play with our food but preparation is just
that; we wash and cut vegetables, blend spices, lazily stir a sauce until it
glistens and tightens to the proper consistency. It’s a hands-on experience. There
is also something very romantic about cooking with another person.
There is a scene
in one of my novellas where a young artist is trying to impress an older woman
into giving their relationship a chance. He’s cooking for her and while making Carbonara,
a simple, elegant dish that’s as much fun to eat as it is to prepare, the
atmosphere is relaxed but they are learning about one another as the dish comes
together.
While the pasta
is cooking, he’s dicing the pancetta (Italian bacon that isn’t smoked), and slicing the garlic, setting them to sizzle in a large pan; all the while trying not
to slice his thumb because he’s distracted by the sound of her voice. While
they’re eating she teaches him how to twirl spaghetti on his fork by laying it
against his spoon and ends up licking some off of his chin. Needless to say, their senses are engaged by the time the meal has ended...with a Chocolate Torte. What, you thought I wouldn't sneak chocolate into this?
Valentine’s Day
is a wonderful day to celebrate love and romance but special meals don’t need
to be elaborate and take hours in the kitchen. Special meals are little
celebrations of life, taking the time to enjoy each others company whether it’s
a holiday or a Monday night when it’s too cold to go out. Whether or not you
have a reason, celebrate a meal as if you do. I’m going to leave you with a
recipe for Spaghetti alla Carbonara, just in case you’d like to try. This recipe is the closest to what I make (I'm one of those cooks who seldom measure and would probably take three pages to explain what Tyler Florence of the Food Network does in one) With only the two of us,
I halve the recipe…
Spaghetti alla
Carbonara
Ingredients
1 lb. dry
spaghetti
2 T.
extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. pancetta
or bacon (cubed or cut into small strips)
4 garlic cloves,
finely chopped
2 large fresh
eggs
1 C freshly
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Black pepper to
taste
1 handful of
fresh parsley (I use about 1T dried)
It’s important
that you prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking. The spaghetti has to be
hot and ready when the sauce is finished so that the heat of the pasta cooks
the raw eggs.
Bring a pot of
salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until tender, yet firm. Drain well;
reserving ½ cup of starchy cooking water in case the sauce needs to be thinned.
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over a medium flame and sauté the
pancetta/bacon until crisp. Add the garlic and sauté less than a minute to
soften (don’t brown). Add the hot, drained pasta to the pan and toss for a
couple of minutes to coat the pasta with the bacon fat.
Beat eggs and
Parmesan together. Take the pan containing the pasta off the heat, pour the egg
and cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the egg mixture
thickens but doesn’t scramble (If using dried parsley, add it here). Thin out
the sauce with reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency,
then season with salt and pepper to taste. You can sprinkle more cheese (and
your fresh parsley if that’s what you’re using).
If you'd like a printable version of this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/spaghetti-alla-carbonara
The beauty of
this dish is that you can have it for breakfast with orange juice and fresh
strawberries or for supper with wine, salad and garlic toast. I’ve even made it
for lunch.
How about you?
What’s your favorite romantic meal?
Happy Valentine’s
Day!
Paris Brandon
