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“This recipe is a subtle, seductive glance across the room … In my imagination, this is the effortlessly tempting meal that Bogie whipped up for Lauren Bacall, circa 1945, while she lounged around wearing his silk pajamas.”
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It is said that the way to your lover’s heart is through their stomach, at ckbk we couldn’t agree more. What could better demonstrate your feelings, or open up the senses, than a well-prepared morsel or two.
In our new feature we have brought together Dishes for Valentine Seduction; a selection of tempting recipes for that important meal for two, ideas for what to drink alongside it, and some enlightening bon mots from the chefs.
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Pictured above: Heart Inside Cupcakes from Crazy Sweet Creations by Ann Reardon
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The gift that will keep on giving
Give the gift of culinary inspiration with an annual subscription to ckbk. We’re offering 25% off with code VALENTINE. It’s a gift that will show your affection for an entire year.
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Sunday is the big one, the day when we all want to focus on the game – and definitely not run out of tasty things to eat while we’re watching.
Whether you want to graze throughout, grab something that feels a bit more like a meal (if handheld), or just nibble, our Super Bowl Bites collection has you in mind.
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Mark Hix brings us oysters
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If cooking for someone speaks of love, then serving them oysters surely speaks of seduction. As we celebrate the arrival on ckbk of a library of superb books from renowned British Chef and restaurateur Mark Hix, it is timely that there are few who have so celebrated the oyster. In his book Hix Oyster & Chop House – named after his restaurant of the same name – Hix takes us through the why and the how to savour this special seafood. Remembering the days when the oyster shack was no unfamiliar thing, Hix encourages us to eat, and cook with, oysters.
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Store-cupboard treasure: honey
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Honey, the naturally occurring creation of honeybees, is composed mainly of fructose and glucose. Only eclipsed by the advent of sugar extraction from sugarcane, and then beets, it was mankind’s earliest form of sweetness.
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It has always beguiled us with its magic, not least Winnie the Pooh. It is one of the five elixirs of immortality in Hinduism. Since the industrial age it has come to be a symbol for the natural world. Many cultures believe in honey’s medicinal qualities – certain honeys have an antimicrobial effect, and some are sources of phytochemicals and flavonoids that could aid healing.
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Honey’s flavor is its greatest asset, and can vary hugely depending on the environment the bees have access to. Grassy, toasted, floral, aromatic, the potential for diverse flavors is as great as the plant world.
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Glorious spread simply on buttered toast, honey also brings a sweet lift to the pastry and savory kitchen. Honey-Mustard Glazed Bacon makes great use of that particular alchemy of sweet with heat. A combination also exploited, if differently balanced, in a Honey-Spice Cake.
Sweeten things up with these or any of the recipes in our 16 Ways with Honey collection.
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6 of the best chocolates
What could be a more indulgent gift for your beloved than a box of chocolates? A box of chocolates you have made yourself!
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from Chocolate and Confections by Peter Greweling
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from The Elements of Dessert by Francisco Migoya
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from Guittard Chocolate Book by Amy Guittard
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from The Art of the Chocolatier by Ewald Notter
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from Real Chocolate by Chantal Coady
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from A World in My Kitchen by Peter Gordon
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