Host a dreamy night in for your beau or a few close friends, complete with a supple wedge or wheel and some sweet tunes. Below, find the culture-approved party plan for a vivacious Valentine’s Day, complete with a menu, timeline, and, of course, some festive tunes.
Menu
- Coeur à la Crème
- Slow-cooked brisket
- Mashed cauliflower
- Raddichio and radish salad
Serve this cheese: Nettle Meadow Farm Kunik
Pop this cork: Sparkling rosé
Playlist
- “I Get the Sweetest Feeling,” Jackie Wilson
- “Jump (for My Love),” Pointer Sisters
- “Cupid,” Sam Cooke
- “Physical,” Olivia Newton John
- “Lovefool,” The Cardigans
- “Hold You In My Arms,” Ray LaMontagne
- “Kiss on My List,” Hall & Oates
Timeline
THREE DAYS BEFORE: Shop; make playlist
TWO DAYS BEFORE: Make brisket and Coeur à la Crème
NIGHT BEFORE: Make mashed cauliflower
MORNING OF: Chill wine; set table
ONE HOUR BEFORE: Let cheese come to room temperature; assemble salad (dress just before serving); warm brisket and cauliflower
WHEN GUESTS ARRIVE: Pour sparkling rosé
Leigh Belanger
Leigh Belanger is culture's former food editor. She's been a food writer, editor, and project manager for over a decade— serving as program director for Chefs Collaborative and contributing to local newspapers and magazines. Her first book, The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, was published in 2012. She lives and cooks in Boston with her family.
