Which type of Valentine are you?

From the window displays in the shops at the moment shops you’d think we were all clones when it comes to love and romance. That we’re anyone’s for a bunch of roses, a box of chocolates and a bottle of pink champagne. But lovers come in all shapes and sizes - and ages.

What suits a first-time cook of 21, eager to impress or a couple in the throes of passion isn’t necessarily going to work for a pair who’ve been married for 21 years and face sniggering teenagers at any display of affection.

As someone who isn’t married to a hearts-and-flowers type, much as I love him, I know I just couldn’t pull off a candlelit dinner without us both dissolving into helpless fits of giggles. So here are some light-hearted suggestions for Valentine’s feasts and matching wines to suit all situations

The Valentine newbie
If this is the first Valentine dinner you’ve ever made and you’re an inexperienced cook to boot, the key thing is not to be too ambitious. Make a simple main course, something that doesn’t take too long or leave you hot and flustered - a couple of salmon or duck fillets - even a steak (no chips if you don’t want frying-oil infused hair!) and buy in your starter and dessert.

(For the former I’d suggest some seafood such as crab or prawns provided, obviously, your loved one isn’t allergic to shellfish and a chocolate dessert. Gu makes some sinfully chocolatey little puds. Just pretty them up and make them look home-made.

To drink you could serve champagne or a good sparkling wine with maybe a glass of pinot noir (the world’s sexiest wine, surely) with the main course. Just don’t drink too much of either if you don’t want to fall asleep on the sofa after dinner.

The can’t-keep-your-hands-off-each-other couple
Little point in arranging a romantic meal - you probably wouldn’t get past the first course - so think in terms of a picnic. In bed. A bottle of champagne, some generously filled smoked salmon sandwiches and a tub of ice cream should do the trick. And lay in the ingredients for a hearty breakfast with some freshly squeezed orange juice and good strong coffee the following morning.

Thirtysomething gourmets
Even if you love to be in the kitchen Valentine’s night is not the night to pretend you’re Gordon Ramsay so don’t embark on a meal you’ve never attempted before. One dazzling course, maybe, just to underline what a brilliant cook you are - a terrine, a really good risotto or a fabulous cake but keep it light.

Personally I’d go for luxury ingredients - caviar or a caviar alternative, foie gras (if you eat foie gras), lobster or fillet steak and a simple fruit tart with which to enjoy a really gorgeous dessert wine (see my article here on wine matches for luxury ingredients)

Harassed parents
Any of you who have or have had teenage children will know that any expression of physical affection is likely to be greeted with repulsion so there’s absolutely no point in trying to have any kind of romantic encounter at home. You could book a restaurant but it’s not the best night of the year to dine out. Restaurants often resort to expensive set price menus and staff tend to be rushed off their feet. Personally I’d leave it a week or two and escape for a romantic weekend. And just open a very good bottle of wine to accompany the family dinner.

Saga lovers
The kids have flown the nest. You can do anything you like. Lucky you. I’d jump on a train to Paris, Venice, anywhere . . . just do something impetuous and romantic. Or go out to lunch to a fabulous restaurant (always cheaper at lunch than at night) and spend the evening cosily at home with a modest glass of your favourite malt whisky or - yes, why not - a glass of champagne. In the bath.

Image © Kudryashka - Fotolia.com

Treat your friends to a magnum this New Year's Eve

One of the best ways to make your friends feel they’re getting a special treat is to serve them a magnum - i.e. an extra-large bottle that contains two full bottles (1.5 litres) of wine. Many champagne houses have offered the option for years but an increasing number of other wine producers are realising that there’s a demand too.

On Christmas Day we served a magnum of Moet et Chandon 2000 (with smoked salmon) and a Chivite Coleccion 125 2000 from the Navarra region of Spain with the turkey. Both were drinking well but the ‘wow’ factor of having such impressive bottles on the table was the real thrill for our family and friends.

There’s another advantage to buying magnums. They almost always age better than comparable wines in a 75cl bottle. Because there is proportionately less air space in the bottle the wines tend to change less in character and age more slowly. This particularly benefits champagne. Moet is not a brand I’ve been particularly impressed by in the past but this bottle, from an memorable vintage, was a real cracker - gloriously rich and honeyed. My mother-in-law said it was the best champagne she’d ever tasted (so maximum brownie points there!)

The Coleccion 125, a contemporary blend of tempranillo, merlot and cabernet sauvignon was still vividly fruity and vibrant. It’s a wine that generally ages well but is even better in a large format as they call it in the trade.

The only drawback is that magnums tend to cost more if you buy them straight off the shelf because they’re a non-standard size and need time to come to their peak so the best plan is to buy them when they’re released and hang onto them for a few years. Because of their comparative scarcity they tend to be more in demand than standard bottles so you need to get your order in early, or in some cases, be a regular customer of the winery to get your allocation. Plan now for 2012!

* If you need to chill down a magnum make sure you think ahead. They can be tricky to fit into a fridge so make sure you have a large bucket and plenty of ice handy. (Iced water cools more efficiently than ice alone.)

Cocktails for beginners

The result of my latest poll showed there was a considerable interest in cocktails so I’m going to try and include recipes and serving suggestions more often. Only 6% of you said you never made them compared to 19% who made them at least once a week and 38% who made them a couple of times a month. The remaining 38% ‘rarely make them’ which I suspect means you’re either much keener on wine or regard them as daunting.

If the latter is the case don’t be put off by the complicated concoctions that you tend to see barmen throwing together with such apparent ease. A cocktail need only contain as few as two or three ingredients - a base spirit and a liqueur and/or fruit juice, for example. Many can simply be mixed in a jug or a glass. You can serve them before a meal, obviously, but some make a good substitute for a dessert while others can be a better match than wine with spicy food.

Here are four easy recipes I’ve persuaded two of the bartenders from my son’s bars Hawksmoor and Green and Red to part with. Give them a try and let me know how you get on. (Note that in the UK we generally call a 25ml measure a shot rather than a 30ml one)

From Joel Constantino at Hawksmoor

Negroni
A great cocktail classic - sophisticated but unbelievably easy to make

25ml/1 shot Campari
25ml/1 shot Martini Rosso
25ml/1 shot any London Dry Gin

Pour over cubed ice in Old Fashioned or Rocks glass and stir. Garnish with a slice of orange

Food match: Would be good with canapes topped with smoked duck or crostini with duck pat

Mad Monk Milkshake
Zipped up iced coffee!

50ml/2 shots Frangelico hazelnut Liqueur
25ml/1 shot Baileys
7.5ml/1 1/2 tsp Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua, Tia Maria or, preferably, Toussaint)
50ml/2 shots single cream
50ml/2 shots milk

Whizz in a heavy duty blender with 12 oz (350g) crushed ice and serve in a highball glass

Food match: great with freshly baked cookies!

From Mathias Lataille at Green & Red

Batanga
The Mexican alternative to the Cuba Libre! Very easy to make

50ml (2 shots) of Tequila (100% agave if possible)
15ml (1 tbsp) of freshly squeezed lime juice
Coca-Cola

Build up the drink in a highball glass full of ice, First the tequila, then the lime then top up with Coca-Cola. That's it. Best served in a glass with a salt rim.

Food match: Mexican snacks such as tortilla chips and salsa fresca

Mexican 77
A Mexican-inspired version of the French 75

1 x 25ml shot chilled tequila
15ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
15ml (1 tbsp) sugar syrup
Chilled champagne or sparkling wine

Mix the first three ingredients and pour into a champagne flute. Top up with chilled fizz. (You can easily scale this up for a party)

Food match: Smoked salmon or prawn-based canaps

When should you chill red wine?

The response to my recent poll on how often you chill red wine was fascinating. Contrary to the general impression you get that everyone drinks chilled reds with fish these days only 15% said that they did. However the 45% who said they chilled reds “often, particularly in summer” probably included fish among the meals with which they drank it.

I was particularly surprised to find however that as many as 40% of you say you ‘never’ chill red wine. Whether that’s because you think it’s the wrong thing to do, don’t enjoy the effect it has or simply that you haven’t ever thought of it I’m not sure but here’s my take on the subject:

1) Most wines, even serious wines, tend to be served too warm. Most rooms these days are at least 20°C. frequently hotter which will accentuate alcohol levels and make many modern reds taste warm and soupy. So even if you don’t actually chill your reds try and keep them in a cool room before you serve them - about 18°C.

2) There are certain types of light reds that lend themselves particularly well to chilling, especially with fish such as seared salmon and tuna. They include inexpensive Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and other wines made from the Gamay grape and Loire reds such as Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny. You don’t want to chill them as much as a white or a sparkling wine - about half an hour in the fridge or 4 or 5 minutes in an ice bucket will do the trick - but it will emphasise their freshness and fruitiness.

3) Some people however (and this is illustrated by the poll) feel uncomfortable about chillling red wine or think it is the wrong thing to do - and that includes sommeliers who will sometimes look askance if you ask for a wine to be chilled. So use a bit of sensitivity. If you think it’s going to rub your guests up the wrong way or give them the impression you don’t know what you’re doing you might want to serve your wine slightly warmer than you do for personal preference.