Five Days of Wine Fidelity: A Homage to Valentine's Day

Undying Flames (Day 4) If you fall in the category of long-term love affair, you know first-hand the ups and downs of “till death do us part.” Valentine’s Day year after year might lack burning flames, but a spark could ignite that old flare. So venture out of the house this Sunday afternoon, February 13^th, to Red, White & Bleu Gourmet Shop in the heart of Falls Church. Kindle the flame ever so gently with a unique wine and chocolate pairing: Liquid Love/Chocolate Devour. Why does this differ from all the same old pairings? Not a single sweet wine will be tasted; only big, bold, reds and velvety, smooth whites will be paired to locally crafted confections. Reservations are required, but can easily be made with a simple telephone call to the shop at 703.533.9463 (WINE).

ACKC Kingsbury White Chocolate & Toffee – No Oak Chardonnay Monterey, California

Artisan Confections PB & J Truffle – Thibault-Janisson FIZZ Cremant-Style, Virginia

Artisan Confections Fresh Mint Truffle – Chocolate Box Shiraz Barossa, Australia

Artisan Confections Raspberry Truffle – Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, California

Artisan Confections Lavender Honey Truffle – The Rhon by Jeff Arnoux Rhone, France

Artisan Confections Chipotle Truffle – El Molinet Tempranillo Valencia, Spain

Five Days of Wine Fidelity: A Homage to Valentine's Day

Aphrodisiac Alcohol (Day 2): Couples Therapy--romantic setting for two

Men do not fear, she doesn’t have to think you’re being cheap by insisting on staying home. Simply dose your lover with edibles and beverages of love. Of course, candlelight, flowers, and sultry jazz enhance the mood, but make the theme rest solely on aphrodisiacs. Follow my guidelines, apply Google recipe searches to fill in the details. I propose a simple, but elegant, three-course meal including these most common aphrodisiacs: almonds, champagne, asparagus, figs, chocolate, and alcohol. I spell out your simple guidelines below, while leaving the ambience and recipe creating to your own imagination.

·         1^st course, Palate Teaser—Champagne & Almonds—Buy a small wheel of Brie cheese, microwave it on low until heated and slightly oozing. Top with slivered almonds, serve with a crusty French baguette and a fruit chutney of your preference. Ignite the flames of love with a toasty, biscuity Champagne (make sure it’s a Blanc de Blanc Brut to play up the almond aphrodisiac). One of my affordable favorites: Pierre Moncuit Brut--grower champagne under $35.

·         2^nd course, Aphrodisiac Overload—Figs, Asparagus, & Red Wine—Google a steak and fig recipe. The sky’s the limit, but here are a few examples: fig-balsamic sauce drizzled over filet speckled with gorgonzola cheese, flank steak salad with fig, pears, and blue cheese. Pair your steak and figs with a BIG, bold, fruity wine. Wow her with a California Zinfandel. Falls Church’s very own wine shop Red, White & Bleu sells the mind-blowing Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel $45.99, or on a different note the Cline Cashmere GSM for only $17.99. Don’t forget to steam some asparagus, add some butter slices as a finishing touch. Leave her senses reeling, watch your moods unravel, think “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes.”

·         3^rd course, Chocolate Touch—Need I say more? Your woman with wine and chocolate guarantees a smashing finish, a crescendo of love. I strongly suggest just buying a grand bar of dark cacao haute couture and finish your bottle of red wine from dinner. Possibly top off with a Tawny Port or aged Madeira. Some chocolate bars to consider: Amedei (Curious Grape in Shirlington), Michel Cluizel (Arrowines), Kingsbury ACKC (at Red, White & Bleu), Vosges (Whole Foods).

Five Days of Wine Fidelity: A Homage to Valentine's Day

           Wine Satiate (1) Searching Singles--Just the girls. Don’t be like Carrie and Miranda from Sex and the City stuck hating Valentine’s in a sea of balloons and pesky ribbons hunched over a make-shift table for two. Celebrate ladies! Start with making the invite list, read on and follow your instructions. Assemble at least four friends and have each lady bring a bottle of wine from the listing below and a bar of chocolate. The idea is to host a wine and chocolate pairing for all tastes, while keeping it simple, fun and cost efficient. Everything listed can be purchased locally if you plan ahead. Wines listed span a broad range of flavors from dry to sweet, white to red and bubbles to boot. You don’t need to spin your wheels of love, this event is guaranteed to make you fall in love. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend? Let’s try on chocolate and vino, see if the shoe fits!

·         Kingsbury’s Fleur de Sel Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels $3.99 (2 caramels in a pack) pair with Hungarian Tokaji or Madeira (Royal Tokaji 5 Putonyos $38.99 or Blandy’s 5 year Bual Madeira $25.99). Pick up through your local wine shop.

·         Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bittersweet Bar with Almonds $4.99 and Tawny Port (Smith Woodhouse 10 year Tawny $38.99

·         Coconut Macaroons (Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe) paired with Brachetto d’Acqui—sweet sparkling red from Piedmont Italy (Marenco Brachetto d’Acqui Pinetto $22.99 or Banfi Rosa Regale $19.99)

·         Bag of Lindor Truffles paired with fruity, creamy Chardonnay (Alamos Chardonnay, Argentina $7.99 or Avery Quinn Chardonnay Central Coast, CA for $14.99)

·         Artisan Confections Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffle $17 9 piece box paired with Terra Sparkling Malbec Mendoza, Argentina $22.99