Columns by John

John Brown has been a wine and food columnist in West Virginia since the 1980’s. His regular columns appear in the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail under the title Vines & Vittles and in The State Journal - a statewide business weekly

How I Forgot Valentine’s Day And Learned To Live The Monastic Life

chandon.jpgGuys, trust me on this: women take Valentine’s Day very seriously! Hey, I’m no Dr. Phil (and I’m certainly not Dr. Ruth), but I do know that there will be serious consequences if you forget to do something special for your significant other on February 14.

I learned this the hard way a couple of decades ago when I arrived home after a hard day at work to find a candle–lit dinner table with a carafe of red wine, soft-jazz on the stereo and a Hallmark card the size of an armadillo waiting for me when I walked through the door. There was also a heart-shaped gift on the kitchen counter,and the wonderful smells of freshly baked bread. Was I in the right house? Was I in the Twilight Zone?

No, I was in the home of a romantic woman who just happened to be my wife -- and I had completely forgotten that this was Valentine’s Day.

To my wife’s credit, she seemed to understand and accept my heart-felt apologies as we enjoyed the fruits of her culinary skills. However, for the next several weeks, there was a distinct chill in the air at home, particularly in certain rooms. I now know how difficult it must be to live a monastic life.

You can avoid a similar fate by simply remembering this special date and you can actually win favor by giving the gift of wine along with the more pedestrian card, candy and flowers. Wine is an especially good choice if you plan to 'cook in' for Valentine’s Day. I plan on seasoning a couple of beef filets with kosher salt and black pepper and grilling them over charcoal. I’ll accompany the beef with sautéed mushrooms and shallots in a little butter and the same red wine I’ll have with the meal. A baked potato and some steamed asparagus will round out the meal. For dessert, I’ll cheat and buy a tray of heavenly pecan bars from the fine folks at Charleston Bread. For you chocolate lovers, I recommend the wonderful offerings at Holl's Chocolates at the shop on Bridge Road or at the Capitol Market.

Wine suggestions for Valentine’s Day: For an aperitif to set the mood before dinner, open a bottle of Domaine Chandon Blanc De Noirs (photo above) which is a slightly rose- colored sparkler from California ($20). For the main course, a good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon such as 2002 Provenance ($27) or a Bordeaux like the 2002 Chateau Gruaud Larose ($44) would be excellent choices. For dessert, I’ll accompany the pecan ditties with a Robert Pecota Moscato ($14). Those of you having chocolate might want to try Warre’s Tawny Port ($20), or just save a little of the Cabernet or Bordeaux and experience a real treat. Ensure your love life – remember Valentine’s Day.

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