Check out our current e-mail newsletter! Don't miss the February/March 2010 issue, it's coming soon! Subscribe now.
Feel loved, feel special, and single or not, enjoy the day and give yourself a treat. We all deserve it.

So what’s cooking tonight? Where are you having dinner?
Addendum: Duh, I forgot. Here are some ideas for homemade dinner tonight if you haven’t decided on the menu yet:
- Spinach Pancetta Salad with Pine Nuts with Gorgonzola Vinaigrette
- Spinach Salad with Orange and Avocado
- Apple in Pine Nut and Honey Caramel
- Chocolate Crinkles
- Chocolate Souffle
- Food For the Gods [or Goddesses!]
- Churros Con Chocolate
- Bejeweled Cranberry Vodka
- Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow [for a night cap]
Here at Chez Gourmeted we skipped the long line for dinner reservations and opted to prepare a nice meal at home: salad, cheese, seared scallops, steak, chocolate-y desserts, and wine. I’ve prepped my homemade strawberry marshmallow-filled ice cream cones that I’m going to dip in chocolate later. I was hoping the marshmallow goo would stay up so it would actually look like ice cream swirl peaks, but alas, it wont to be. I guess I’ll just have to find a way to make it work later. ;-)
Not much going on here, unless you think I should celebrate because at one year short of 30, I finally drove by myself last night. [Oh wait, I will.] Dan expects me to drive in the middle of Phoenix’s rush hour tomorrow as I drop him off at work, proceed to the the nearby mall’s cafe and do my own work, and then meet him later in the afternoon to head straight to beautiful Sedona for the weekend. Can’t wait!
We’re busy with that and Valentine’s so instead of giving you some picture-filled recipe I’m posting a photo of one of the chocolates I had at the Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress last year in Victoria, B.C. Have you ever been there? It’s so very lovely. If you are within the vicinity and you haven’t been or haven’t considered going, you are missing out. Right in front of the harbor, in the middle of the tourist bustle that surrounds Victoria all year long, is a place of perfect harmony and pampering with tea fit for a queen. I never thought having afternoon tea served, and whose ritual is explained, by such dignified, polite, and well-mannered people, dining with ornate chairs and tables, and on fine china could be so…relaxing. It was such a nice ‘distraction’ from the fast paced life…
Here’s to you and I, and our S.O.’s: I hope we all enjoy a nice and relaxing distraction from our daily lives today. Happy Valentine’s Day!





Happy Hallmark Holiday!! :D I hope you enjoy this day with your S.O. and don’t worry about driving during rush hour. The only difference is that cars move slower :D
I voted! Having dinner at home with my husband. And our four kids. Romantic, right? hehe. Fancy dinner? No. Still delicious, though–homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Gotta satisfy the kiddos, too, after all. But I know he is giving me a gift, so I bought (Yes, bought, but I have four kids, so cut me some slack, lol. And in my defense, they’re from a gourmet chocolate cafe in town.) him some chocolate dipped strawberries that are then dipped in various things like nuts, coconut, etc. That and a copy of his favorite movie, Casablanca. For after the kids go to bed. So we can horde the strawberries for ourselves. ;)
Have a great weekend in Sedona, and please drive carefully!
The only thing I dislike about Valentine’s Day is that the price of roses (especially red ones) go up by 400% and the price of anything with chocolate goes through the roof. Despite the additional costs a great time was had by everyone. I hope you can all say the same. Enjoy your weekend.