What did you eat on Valentine's day?

[-E-]

Originally Posted by g997

For us it was just grilled rib eyes, salad, and mashed potatoes

Cliquot Champagne
97 Montelena Estate Cab
97 Pegase Graveyard Hill

How was the 97 Montelena? I just had one a few months ago and it definitely was showing the typical '97 lack-of-longevity wear and tear I'm becoming used to... Was still good but not anywhere near as spectacular from when it was <10 years old.

[AKA_Hyfi]

We had Filet on the grill along with grilled asparagus and washed it down with a bottle of Renault Blueberry Champagne with several frozen blueberries we picked last summer at the Paupack Blueberry Farm in the Poconos.

Renault is one of only 3 or 4 US Wineries that can officially call their sparkling wine Champagne.

No nice pics to show......

By myself on a biz trip in Boston. Out of respect to my former domicile of Yarmouth Maine I had lobster and blueberry pie.

[BlueChiaro]

Originally Posted by Amfibius

Here are some pictures from my Valentine's day dinner party I much prefer eating at home than going out to a restaurant, especially since I get to spend some time in the kitchen!



Valentine's Borscht Consomme. A normal Borscht has all the veggies boiled in the soup. I boiled the soup, removed the veggies, clarified the broth, and added fresh veggies, all cooked to highlight a different range of textures. Here we have baked beetroot (1 hour), steamed carrots (4 minutes), steamed beans (2 minutes), and raw radish and capsicum. All have been cut into heart shapes. The beans were tied together with steamed chives.



This is what it looked like after the beetroot consomme broth was added.



Main was confit duck with saffron rice. A friend took a picture of me prepping the dish.



Confit duck leg, deep fried, with saffron rice, raspberry, and baby vegetables. Plating was a bit ugly, but I wasn't sure how to arrange the food on the plate. I didn't want to put the duck on top of the rice, so I did the best I could!



Dessert was Heston Blumenthal's "Exploding Chocolate Cake" with passionfruit. Instead of his chocolate floccage, I made a white chocolate ganache and decorated it with white chocolate hearts stained pink with food colouring The base has popping candy in it - quite an unexpected surprise.

I hadn't taken the time to study this, previously, but I just want to say that it is stunning! Beautifully presented! Alas...once, again, AA make me feel so inadequate...

[Dj_AmTraX]

Beautiful food.

I almost burned the house down making a steak in the broiler. I burned my hand instead. I should have ordered in.

[metaphacts]

Seared Foi Gras & Venison with Hedgehog Mushrooms on Caramelized Red Onion Marmalade
Sherried She Crab Soup with Lime Crème Fraiche
Roast Antelope Strip Loin Steak Passila Pepper Sauce, Purple Potatoes & Cauliflour Puree
Chefs Selection of Local Cheeses, Muscat Grape Marmalade, Marcona Almonds & Rustic Bread Crisps

Argyle, 2008, Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Whitehaven, 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
Clarendon Hills, 2005, Liandra Syrah, Mclaren Vale
Cakebread, 2007 Zinfandel, Napa

[chessman]

Scallops wrapped in bacon, filet mignon, crab cakes and asparagus.

[Kingsrule]

Originally Posted by vesuvius

how was the 97 montelena? I just had one a few months ago and it definitely was showing the typical '97 lack-of-longevity wear and tear i'm becoming used to... Was still good but not anywhere near as spectacular from when it was <10 years old.

Actually your question is interesting in that both of us commented on the fact we thought the Montelena was young and vibrant. I too agree that the 97's aren't showing as Parker would have you believe. I need to move into my 94's and see how they are holding up. Actually all in all I've been pretty disappointed in how these CA reds aren't holding up.
I think I'll try a Montebello or Phalmeyer tonight.
The Clos Pegase was not nearly as good as it was when first released


photo1.jpg

[multiham]

Peanut butter and jelly with a diet peach Snapple

Originally Posted by multiham

Peanut butter and jelly with a diet peach Snapple

First place winner vote on this one! Dinner of champions (or audiophiles too busy to worry about food!)