Food of Love...

Duke Orsino:
If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
Twelfth Night Act 1, scene 1, 1–3


All of us have foods that we associate with romantic occasions or loved ones. Maybe it’s a decadent chocolate dessert or spaghetti and meatballs a la Lady and the Tramp. Whatever the food, it’s fun to remember those romantic times and the food that helped make them truly special.

When Rich and I were dating, the first meal he ever cooked for me was Welsh Rarebit out of the 1971 revised version of the 1959 classic, The James Beard Cookbook. We still have that paperback cookbook with its $1.25 price noted on the front. I remember being so impressed that Rich could cook such a sophisticated dish with such an exotic sounding name. I had never had it before and thought it was just delicious. I still love this dish and Rich still loves cooking it for me.

James Beard’s Welsh Rarebit

1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 T. butter
1 cup ale or beer
1 egg
1 t. dry mustard
2 t. Worcestershire sauce

Using a double boiler, heat the water in the lower section and melt the butter in the upper section. Add the grated cheese and stir until it melts. Very slowly add the ale or beer, blending it in. Beat the egg slightly with the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, and add a few spoonfuls of the cheese mixture. Then slowly stir the egg mixture into the cheese, being sure that they blend thoroughly. Do not let the water boil, and do not let the cheese mixture get too hot or the egg with curdle. As soon as it is hot through, serve it over well-buttered toast.
Note: We serve it over toasted French bread that has been topped with crisp fried bacon. Serve with a tossed green salad and a good wine. Yumm!!

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This recipe is from the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA. Rich and I used to go there on special occasions in our early years of marriage. This was one of our favorite dishes and continues to be something we like to cook together.

Steak Diane

Take two nice beef fillets (I use fillet mignon) and pound them until they are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

In a pan, melt 2-3 T of butter and lightly brown the meat on both sides. Remove the meat. Add chopped shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and a splash of Worchester sauce to the pan and saute until the mushrooms are soft. (I didn't list the amount of shallots, garlic, mushrooms or Worchester because you can use as much or as little as you like.)

Move the mushroom/shallot/garlic mixture to the side of the pan and add the steaks again, cooking... on medium-low heat... until medium well (depending on the thickness of the meat, it should only take a couple of minutes on each side). Smear a little Dijon mustard on top of the meat. Pour a little brandy over the meat and flambe. BE CAREFUL! If you pour too much brandy on the meat or if you get too close, your romantic meal could turn into a kitchen tragedy!!

This dish is great served with risotto. I usually spoon a little of the sauce on top of the risotto as well. Add a nice salad, some crusty bread, and a good Zinfandel or Cab Franc and you've got a great meal!