Creating An Intimate Fireside Valentine’s Dinner: Tips from a Dallas Fireplace Builder
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and is the perfect reason to celebrate you and your partners love together. With more couples staying home this Valentine’s Day, it’s important to find ways to add ambiance and romance. Fireplaces help set the mood, provide a soft glow, and even act as the date’s focal point. As a Dallas fireplace builder, we know a few things about fireplaces! Whether you’ve been dating for a few months or married for years, we’ve put together our favorite tips for creating the perfect fireside Valentine’s Day.
If Your Fireplace Has A Mantel – Use It
The mantel on the fireplace is the perfect place to add Valentine’s Day decor. Showcase bouquet of roses in shades of red, pink, and white. You can even add rose petals across the floor in front of the fireplace. Place your favorite scented candles and light them to add your favorite scent and more romantic lighting. Make it personal and about your relationship by adding in photos from your favorite trips or moments.
Think Red
When decorating for your fireside Valentine’s Day date, think of adding decor in shades of red. If you are worried about going overboard with the color, don’t worry! You can add small amounts of red through different decor accents, like a red blanket or red candle, to incorporate the holiday’s well-known color.
Get Comfortable
For a comfortable way to enjoy the fireplace, rearrange your furniture! If moving furniture is not an option, try adding blankets or pillows to provide the perfect spot to spend the evening.
Fireside Dinner Date
Set up a table right next to your fireplace for an intimate dinner date. Lay down a tablecloth, add a candle, and pour two glasses of wine. You’ll feel like you’re at your favorite restaurant! If you can, choose a small table. It will help keep the two of you close and help create an intimate conversation. The fireplace’s ambiance will create a romantic feel, add warmth, and make the perfect fireside Valentine’s Day date.
Create a Specialty Cocktail
Learn to be a mixologist and create a new cocktail together. Opt for red or pink-colored cocktails to embrace the holiday and enjoy them in front of the fire. You’ll feel like a mixologist in no time! We’ve added a one of our favorite cocktail recipes below that will help you stay within the color palette and celebrate Valentine’s Day!
Floradora Cocktail
The Floradora cocktail is named after a 1900s Broadway musical comedy. While it offers a beautiful pink shade, it’s known for being refreshing and semi-sweet. If you like gin, this is a go-to cocktail and is quick and easy to make.
What You’ll Need
1 1/2 ounces of gin
1/2 ounce of lime juice
1/2 ounce of crème de framboise liqueur
4 ounces of ginger ale
Highball Glass
Ice
Fill your highball glass with ice.
Add in your gin, crème de framboise liqueur, and lime juice.
Pour in 4 ounces of ginger ale to top off the glass.
For a fun garnish, add a wedge of lime.
Enjoy!
Cook a Romantic Dinner
Enjoy your favorite at-home meal together. For a fun and meaningful surprise, cook your partner’s favorite meal. If you are looking for a more intimate experience, try cooking the meal together or trying something new to both of you. It lets you reconnect and have fun while creating a delicious meal to enjoy with each other. Not sure what to cook? We’ve added an easy but delicious pasta recipe for you to try!
Pasta With Brown Butter, Whole Lemon, and Parmesan
What You’ll Need
1 lb. short tube pasta
Kosher salt for taste
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided
1 small regular lemon very thinly sliced into rounds
1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Add the pasta to a large pot of water. Be sure to salt the water generously. Keep an eye on the pasta and stir occasionally. Check the back of the pasta package for cooking instructions. You will want to take the pasta off about two minutes less than instructed. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce you will create.
While the pasta is cooking, melt half (4 Tbsp) of the butter in a heavy pot. Once melted, add in the lemon slices. Stir the lemons often, for 5 to 7 minutes. The lemons will be soft, and the bottom of the pot will be browned. Once the lemons are soft, take about a third of the lemon slices out and place them on a plate; set aside.
Just before pasta is al dente, scoop out 2 cups of the pasta’s cooking liquid. Add the pasta’s cooking liquid to the butter sauce. (This may seem like a lot of liquid, but it will thicken once the rest of the ingredients are added.) Add the remaining amount of butter one piece at a time. Whisk the liquid until each piece of butter is incorporated before adding in more pieces of butter.
Take the pasta off the stove and drain. Add the pasta to the butter sauce. While stirring often, add 1 ounce of the parmesan cheese at a time. Once all of the cheese is added, continue to stir until all of the cheese is melted. The sauce should be creamy. If the sauce looks very thick, try adding more pasta cooking liquid (or water) 1–2 Tbsp. at a time to thin. Keep in mind; the sauce will thicken as it starts to cool. Remove the dish from the heat and sprinkle with 2 tsp of pepper. Toss the pasta.
Top with lemon slices and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Enjoy with your sweetie!
Not Interested In Cooking? Skip It!
If cooking isn’t your thing, don’t sweat it. Order in from your favorite restaurant and enjoy it fireside. It gives you both the night off from cooking (and the dreaded cleanup) to relax and unwind in front of the fireplace. It will be like you reserved a table for two from your favorite restaurant but from the comfort of your own home and by a crackling fireplace – it’s a win-win!
Plan an Indoor Picnic
If you want more of a picnic feel, add cozy elements to the floor like blankets and throw pillows for a cozy night together. Pack a picnic full of heartfelt, sweet treats, or create a cheeseboard full of your favorite cheeses and crackers to pair with your favorite wine.
Don’t Forget Dessert!
While the fireplace offers a romantic glow, it’s also an easy way to channel your inner child and cook up marshmallows to make Valentine’s Day s’mores. Get creative with your ingredients (like swapping out Hershey’s chocolate for a Reese’s) and get cozy by the fire while cooking up a fun dessert. If you want a more relaxed after-dinner moment, pour yourself a glass of champagne or seltzer water and cozy up to end your at-home Valentine’s Day dinner.
Are you looking to add a fireplace or remodel your existing fireplace in your home? Stop by and see our showroom, or contact us to discuss what you’re looking for. We’re here to help. Reach out to us today!
Sources:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/floradora-cocktail-recipe-760079
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-with-brown-butter-whole-lemon-and-parmesan