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The Foods that Lead to Romance
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Hi Reader, Food has a way of saying things we’re not always brave enough to say out loud. Especially on Valentine’s Day. I know, I know. For some, this week is all hearts and flowers. For others, it’s just a Tuesday (or an excuse to buy half-price candy on February 15th). But whether you’re cooking for a partner, hosting a "Galentine’s" dinner for friends, or just treating yourself to a damn good steak because you deserve it, food is the connector. It can be a show of love, a sign you're in my thoughts, or a way of soothing a grieving heart. Take the year The One and I decided not to make a big deal about V-Day. Cut to the kitchen: him slicing strawberries with the concentration of a trauma surgeon, me insisting—loudly—that ironing the napkins was purely coincidental. There were bubbles. There was chocolate. Always, always chocolate. There was a small-ish fire—otherwise known as flambéing gone wrong. (Who needed that dish towel anyway?) I’ve learned that the most memorable meals aren’t about precision or performance. They’re about acceptance. Of the dish. Of each other. The meal doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours. Read how our Forever & Chocolate Cake has become our love food. How to Cook Your Way into Someone’s Heart
WHAT'S INSIDE...
Veal Piccata⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 from 50 votes
One of our most popular veal, this piccata that's quick enough to make on a weeknight yet restaurant-worthy and elegant enough for weekends.☞ Try This RecipeItalian Roast Leg Of Lamb With Garlic & Rosemary⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.92 from 25 votes
This Tuscan style roast leg of lamb is made in traditional Italian fashion with a garlic, rosemary, lemon, and olive oil marinade before being roasted until perfectly tender. Easy and elegant.☞ Try This RecipeRoman-Style Chicken Cacciatore
You know chicken cacciatore--chicken made with vegetables, herbs, and tons of tomatoes--right? In Rome, however, "alla cacciatora" implies meat stewed with rosemary, vinegar, and anchovies, with not one tomato in sight. Instead, the bird is simmered with garlic, rosemary, white wine, and anchovies.☞ Try This RecipeHershey's Chocolate Cake, Redux⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.9 from 47 votes This Hershey's chocolate cake recipe with frosting is an old-fashioned classic American dessert that will never, ever disappoint. Simple and simply the best. I've zhuzhed it up a bit with espresso powder for a deeper flavor and a creamier, richer frosting.☞ Try This RecipeRoasted Cod With Potatoes & Lemon⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.83 from 17 votes
This baked cod and potatoes is an easy yet elegant dinner made simply by slicing potatoes and topping them with the fish fillets and a little butter, thyme, and lemon. The whole shebang is roasted in the oven. A cinch.☞ Try This RecipeGrilled Porterhouse Steak⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.77 from 13 votes
This grilled porterhouse steak is impressive yet easy to make and arguably the best way to make a porterhouse steak at home. Here's how.☞ Try This RecipeChicken Piccata
This chicken piccata, made with boneless chicken breasts cooked in a buttery lemon and caper sauce, is on the table in less than half an hour. Easy!☞ Try This RecipeChicken With Mustard | Poulet à la Moutarde⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.88 from 25 votes
This chicken with mustard, made with chicken, mustard, thyme, and stock, is a classic French dish.☞ Try This Recipe |
Leite's Culinaria
Why, hello! Leite's Culinaria is the James Beard Award-winning site that helps home cooks and bakers put dinner on the table and laughs in the kitchen. Hungry for more? Join more than 30,000 food lovers and subscribe.
Hi Reader, Years ago, I bought a pork butt the size of a toddler because it was on sale. What I didn’t realize is that pork butt isn’t just a cut of meat—it’s a commitment. A long-term relationship. That damn thing followed me through the week like a houseguest who wouldn’t take a hint. But oh, the glory when I finally got it right. A slow roast one night, tacos the next, and then, in a stroke of culinary genius (or desperation), pulled-pork fried rice. The One swore it was my finest...
Hi Reader, There are two kinds of people in this world: those who meal prep like it’s a spiritual practice and those who panic-eat hummus straight from the tub at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday. I regret to inform you I’ve been both. There was the year I decided I was “a meal prep person” and bought twelve matching glass containers for the express purpose of getting my life together, stacked them like a shrine, and announced to The One, “We’re going to live like adults.” Three days later, I was eating...
Hi Reader, January always feels longer than it has any right to be. It starts with fireworks and resolutions and ends with me clutching a mug of something hot, wondering why my socks are never fully dry. But here we are—almost through it—and that deserves a little celebration.In my family, the end of a hard month always called for something sweet. My Vovó would bake without announcement, like it was an instinctive act of optimism. No declarations, no “we survived” speeches—just a table dusted...