Comments on: 10 Steps To A Perfect Valentine’s Day Dinner http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%25e2%2580%2599s-day-dinner Healthy Eating Tips for Foodies Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:47:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Matt Shook http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-814 Matt Shook Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:45:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-814 @Darya<br/><br/>"Distance makes the heart grow fonder!"<br/><br/>Ain't that the truth...my love and I became really close when my she was volunteering in Ecuador and I was stuck in grad school.<br/><br/>I hope it works out well for both of you! @Darya

“Distance makes the heart grow fonder!”

Ain’t that the truth…my love and I became really close when my she was volunteering in Ecuador and I was stuck in grad school.

I hope it works out well for both of you!

]]> By: Darya Pino http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-811 Darya Pino Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:52:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-811 <b>@Matt<br/><br/>Great suggestions as always. Thanks for your input! Honestly I am a bit of a cynic when it comes to Valentine's day as well, but I do think Love deserves celebration. I'm feeling particularly mushy this year because my man and I are having to do long distance for a while. Distance makes the heart grow fonder!<br/><br/>-----<br/>@Carla<br/><br/>Couldn't hurt!<br/><br/>-----<br/>@Karen<br/><br/>Maybe you should take Peter's advice and work on it together? No need to put too much pressure on your man :)<br/><br/>-----<br/>@MB<br/><br/>Those are great recipe sites too! Thanks!!<br/><br/></b> @Matt

Great suggestions as always. Thanks for your input! Honestly I am a bit of a cynic when it comes to Valentine’s day as well, but I do think Love deserves celebration. I’m feeling particularly mushy this year because my man and I are having to do long distance for a while. Distance makes the heart grow fonder!

—–
@Carla

Couldn’t hurt!

—–
@Karen

Maybe you should take Peter’s advice and work on it together? No need to put too much pressure on your man :)

—–
@MB

Those are great recipe sites too! Thanks!!

]]> By: MB http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-810 MB Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:09:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-810 other good online recipe sites: <br/>http://melindalee.com/recipearchive.html <br/>http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/index.cfm other good online recipe sites:
http://melindalee.com/recipearchive.html
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/index.cfm

]]> By: Karen http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-806 Karen Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:28:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-806 Wow, great list! Sure do set the standard high though- not sure if my man knows that this is what I'm expecting now...! Wow, great list! Sure do set the standard high though- not sure if my man knows that this is what I’m expecting now…!

]]> By: carla http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-805 carla Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:01:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-805 hmmm. I may actually make valentines dinner this year (we're not big V Day people) as my husband would be SHOCKED.<br/><br/>food for thought.<br/>:) hmmm. I may actually make valentines dinner this year (we’re not big V Day people) as my husband would be SHOCKED.

food for thought.
:)

]]> By: Matt Shook http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-804 Matt Shook Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:19:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-804 My love and I have not celebrated valentines day since we were kids. We both think it's overly commercialized and contrived...that's not to say we don't both have romantic streaks.<br/><br/>(Interesting Tangent: I believe Valentine's Day was created to discredit Lupercalia, the same way Christmas was promoted to discredit Winter Solstice. There is a lot of ambiguity as to the historical origins of "St. Valentine".)<br/><br/>I second Darya's recommendation to avoid restaurants for Valentine's Day (let me add Mother's and Father's Day to this list as well). Making dinner yourself is far far more romantic...and can be more economically sensible as well.<br/><br/>Spontaneity can go a long way...that's for sure. Why not plan your dinner for the week or two before Valentine's when your not so rushed and it's totally unexpected? Then (if you feel absolutely obligated to), you can have a less-formalistic night and reminisce about that amazing night you planned a few weeks ago.<br/><br/><b>Single guys and gals take heed</b>...Darya's 10 steps (not to be confused with <a HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWyH_twcMl0" REL="nofollow">Richard Hoover's 9 Steps for Success</a>) is a very creative and romantic method for impressing that special someone. My wife's favorite things I did for her when we were dating: spontaneous letters, spontaneous dinners (by candlelight), and spontaneous flowers. (This should continue if you want to be a good spouse too.)<br/><br/>With a little spontaneity and a little foresight, you'll win your loved one over in no time. ;)<br/> <br/>One last thing to add to the list...I would HIGHLY recommend a trial run if you were cooking a dish for the first time and were unfamiliar with any of the ingredients. No need to set yourself up for disaster! My love and I have not celebrated valentines day since we were kids. We both think it’s overly commercialized and contrived…that’s not to say we don’t both have romantic streaks.

(Interesting Tangent: I believe Valentine’s Day was created to discredit Lupercalia, the same way Christmas was promoted to discredit Winter Solstice. There is a lot of ambiguity as to the historical origins of “St. Valentine”.)

I second Darya’s recommendation to avoid restaurants for Valentine’s Day (let me add Mother’s and Father’s Day to this list as well). Making dinner yourself is far far more romantic…and can be more economically sensible as well.

Spontaneity can go a long way…that’s for sure. Why not plan your dinner for the week or two before Valentine’s when your not so rushed and it’s totally unexpected? Then (if you feel absolutely obligated to), you can have a less-formalistic night and reminisce about that amazing night you planned a few weeks ago.

Single guys and gals take heed…Darya’s 10 steps (not to be confused with Richard Hoover’s 9 Steps for Success) is a very creative and romantic method for impressing that special someone. My wife’s favorite things I did for her when we were dating: spontaneous letters, spontaneous dinners (by candlelight), and spontaneous flowers. (This should continue if you want to be a good spouse too.)

With a little spontaneity and a little foresight, you’ll win your loved one over in no time. ;)

One last thing to add to the list…I would HIGHLY recommend a trial run if you were cooking a dish for the first time and were unfamiliar with any of the ingredients. No need to set yourself up for disaster!

]]> By: Darya Pino http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-802 Darya Pino Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:37:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-802 <b>@Mike<br/><br/>You can totally still use this advice. Girls are suckers for guys that cook for them. Start practicing ASAP!!<br/><br/></b> @Mike

You can totally still use this advice. Girls are suckers for guys that cook for them. Start practicing ASAP!!

]]> By: Mike http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-799 Mike Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:47:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-799 So sad! Where's the advice for the single guys like me?!!! Actually, I guess if I'm gonna take anything from this maybe it should be that this is the stuff I should do if I want to have a gf or be in a relationship- sounds like I need more planning.... So sad! Where’s the advice for the single guys like me?!!! Actually, I guess if I’m gonna take anything from this maybe it should be that this is the stuff I should do if I want to have a gf or be in a relationship- sounds like I need more planning….

]]> By: Darya Pino http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-798 Darya Pino Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:20:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-798 <b>@Peter<br/><br/>Absolutely! In fact, that is what my boy and I are planning to do. Secrecy is definitely not essential for romance. <br/><br/></b> @Peter

Absolutely! In fact, that is what my boy and I are planning to do. Secrecy is definitely not essential for romance.

]]> By: Peter Janiszewski, PhD (Cand.), MSc http://summertomato.com/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-797 Peter Janiszewski, PhD (Cand.), MSc Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:10:00 +0000 http://summertomato.com/uncategorized/10-steps-to-a-perfect-valentine%e2%80%99s-day-dinner/#comment-797 Great post as always Darya! As I was reading your meticulous instructions, I began to get a bit overwhelmed by the duties I would have to perform to pull this off, especially if I were to do it in secret while sharing a place with my girlfriend. Then I thought of a fun alternative: you and your partner can make the meal together! You can both set aside all of Saturday and make a day of the preparations. Its about the journey as much as it is about the destination, right?:) Great post as always Darya! As I was reading your meticulous instructions, I began to get a bit overwhelmed by the duties I would have to perform to pull this off, especially if I were to do it in secret while sharing a place with my girlfriend. Then I thought of a fun alternative: you and your partner can make the meal together! You can both set aside all of Saturday and make a day of the preparations. Its about the journey as much as it is about the destination, right?:)

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