The Recipe for Love
The Ingredients for a Perfectly Imperfect Valentine’s Day In
Close your eyes and picture this: candles flickering, music drifting through the air, and laughter bouncing off the walls of your luxurious serviced apartment. Now open your eyes – you're standing hand-in-hand in the gourmet kitchen, playfully debating ingredients as mouth watering aromas swirl around you.
It starts with a dash of playfulness as you steal a quick kiss while grabbing olive oil and herbs for the roast chicken. A sprinkle of patience as you take turns whisking and keeping an eye on bubbling pots and simmering pans. Heated moments (of the culinary kind) ensue as you argue which album to play next while chopping vegetables into a colourful medley.
What you need:
Whole chicken (cleaned and pat-dried).
Olive oil
Assorted fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed greens (spinach, kale, or Swiss chard)
Garlic cloves, (minced)
Dark chocolate, (melted)
Fresh strawberries (washed and dried).
How to:
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
In a small bowl, mix olive oil, finely chopped herbs, salt, and pepper. Rub this herb-infused mixture over the entire surface of the chicken, ensuring it's well-coated.
Place the seasoned chicken on a roasting pan and cook in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour or until the skin is golden and the juices run clear.
While the chicken roasts, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, then add the mixed greens. Cook until they wilt, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a separate bowl, dip each strawberry into the melted dark chocolate, ensuring it's generously coated. Place the chocolate-covered strawberries on parchment paper to cool.
Once the chicken is done, let it rest for a few minutes before carving into succulent slices.
Arrange the roasted chicken on a platter surrounded by the garlicky sautéed greens. Add the chocolate-covered strawberries for a sweet touch.
Serve the meal at the sleek kitchen island, creating a romantic setting with soft mood lighting and your favourite tunes playing in the background.
As you sit down across from each other at the sleek kitchen island, it feels strangely familiar yet excitingly new. You lock eyes for a moment of quiet intimacy against the backdrop of this upscale yet inviting space you're sharing together. Soft mood lighting casts a warm glow, adding to the romantic ambiance.
The food is sublime – delicious flavours melding together in perfect harmony. But it's the memories made side-by-side that you'll keep coming back to chatting and laughing while cooking. Bickering playfully over ingredients. The gentle brush of fingers as you pass dishes back and forth. Feeding each other bites in between courses, eyes locked with affectionate smiles. At the end of the evening, you both agree that this romantic night in your serviced apartment was so much better than any stuffy, overpriced restaurant.
As you snuggle together on the plush sofa, sipping the last of your wine with contented smiles, the realisation sets in – home is wherever you are together. The dishes can wait until morning. For now, all that matters is this moment. United in the warm afterglow of good food, good company, and the simple joy of being present with one another.
The stylish, modern kitchen of your serviced apartment, with its sleek appliances and ample space for two, provided the perfect setting for an unforgettably cosy and romantic night in. No need for reservations or getting dressed up. Just the ingredients for love - quality time spent cooking, tasting, talking, and basking in each other's company in the comfort of your own space.
As sleep starts to beckon, you reflect that the very best Valentine's Days are the ones filled not with grand gestures, but with meaningful moments and shared experiences created together. So, with a smile and a shared glance, you ask the question that seals the evening.
So, what do you say... shall we get cooking?
