Love at First Bite
Whether you’re looking to impress on a first date or trying to spice up an established relationship, food is always the answer. We’ve all heard the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and with women — it’s wining and dining. But we’re in college. In Athens. In a recession. Money is tight, and Chipotle will never be romantic. Treating your honey to a homemade meal is easier than you might think. You’ll get bonus points for effort and will save money compared to dinner for two at a decent restaurant.
Photograph by Kate Ramsey
John Bender, professor of Philosophy of Sex and Love, is a self-described food aficionado, and has some tips for new cooks. He stresses that “work in the kitchen is like a dance,” and that a cook needs to be attentive to the steps. But what if you have two culinary left feet? Jeremy Reed, head chef at Stephen’s Restaurant, suggests making pasta and following directions on the box. Reed also suggests doing a practice run to allow enough time to fix unexpected kinks. Burning the food (or yourself) is not romantic. Above all, he says that freshness is the key aspect of any meal.
Ambiance is equally if not more important. An interrupting roommate or week-old dishes stacked in the sink are definite mood killers. If you don’t have a table, spread a blanket on the floor and have a picnic. Clean the whole house, as your date probably won’t be confined to the plate. Find some quiet background music, like the Rat Pack, Michael Bublé, Mozart or Handel. Thanks to sites like pandora.com, you don’t even have to own the music. Just type in the name of an artist or song, and Pandora automatically finds other songs with similar musical qualities. It’s like having your own digital deejay.
So you’ve decided on a sexy tune, but what about the culinary steps? Fear not, oh rhythmless one; Backdrop is here to save the date. Just follow the steps listed and you’ll be facing the awkward “should we hang out in the living room or my bedroom?” question in no time. You’re on your own with that one.
Spicy Seared Scallops with Mexican Rice Scallops:
½ c. olive oil
½ TBS. garlic powder
½ TBS. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp cinnamon
a dash of salt and pepper
½ lb. sea scallops
(Get them in the frozen section of your grocery store if you don’t want to splurge on fresh ones; they still taste good. If seafood isn’t an option, you could use bite-size pieces of an inexpensive steak, or even tofu if you want to go vegetarian).
Rice:
1 c. Minute rice
1 c. chicken broth (use water if you’re making a vegetarian dish)
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ TBS. each garlic powder and onion powder
a good pinch of cinnamon
3 TBS. tomato sauce
1 red pepper
a dash of salt and pepper
Combine the first 7 ingredients into a bowl and mix them together. Add the scallops, making sure they’re all covered. Put a lid or plastic wrap over the bowl and put it in the fridge. Let marinade for an hour. After one hour, add the chicken broth to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the Minute rice and set aside for a few minutes to soak up the broth. Pour a little olive oil into a small pan and turn it on medium-high heat. As it heats up, chop the red pepper into ½” to 1” chunks, discarding the spongy core and seeds. Add the pepper to the pan and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Sear the pepper, and set aside.
Return the pan to the stove and add the scallops. Discard the marinade, because it touched raw food. Sear the scallops for 5 minutes on one side, flip them over, and sear for another 3 minutes. When they’re done, they should be opaque and juicy. While the scallops are searing, stir the tomato sauce into the rice. Then add the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cinnamon. Stir until mixed, then serve with the seared scallops immediately. You’ll notice that you’re using a lot of the same seasonings in different proportions; this creates unity within the meal. The cinnamon is your secret ingredient in both dishes. It creates mystery and depth.
“Hot” Chocolate Fondue
1 8-oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp nutmeg
fresh fruits (strawberries, raspberries, and bananas work well),
marshmallows and graham crackers (all for dipping)
Fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Grab a small ceramic bowl (one that will sit on top of the pot without falling in or touching the water) and set it on top. Put the chocolate chips, cinnamon, and cumin in the bowl and let melt, stirring occasionally. Under no circumstances should you put the chocolate chips into the microwave, or in a pot that is touching the oven directly, as they will become clumpy and burn. Once the chocolate is melted, you can take the whole setup — pot, bowl and everything — to the table. Dip the food into the chocolate and eat or feed it to each other. Now that’s hot.