Earthly TasteThose first few dates are among the most exciting. Everything is new, thrilling, simultaneously full of mystery and possibilities. But one of the biggest windows into your special boo’s personality is, maybe, among the most important – can they cook? Easily one of the number one activities you’ll be enjoying with your other half is eating. If you want to impress them, or at least not embarrass yourself, check out some of these simple, yet very effective recipes, perfect for a date night.
Quick and Simple
If cooking isn’t in your wheelhouse, then the safest bet is to stick to something simple, that’s sure to satisfy. With that in mind – pasta, to the rescue. If the kitchen well and truly scares you, there are a few easy tricks to making store-bought ingredients look a little bit fancier. Spaghetti may dominate the pasta scene, but you can invest in a more unusual pasta shape – why not try bucatini or pappardelle? Shropshire dating is about to get so much more delicious!
If you’re going to go for a store-bought sauce, such as passata, you can stir in some butter for a richer flavour and finely chop some fresh basil to sprinkle on top. Pasta is also super easy to amend for specific dietary requirements – you can get lentil or rice pasta, vegan-friendly sauces and cheese or serve it as a simple side dish with a veggie medley. Remember to save some pasta water to add to your sauce, for better texture!
Low-key Impressive Date
There is enough pressure during a date without trying to be a gourmet chef, but you still want to seem competent in the kitchen. There are plenty of so-called “fancy” dishes that are actually very simple to make. Case in point – risotto. Believe it or not, this dish is super simple – it requires attention, not skill. The beautiful thing about risotto is that you can use just about anything as the base: seafood, mushrooms, vegetables.
Start off by cooking your chosen “core” ingredient, feel free to cheat by throwing in a little stock, add the rice (a good guide is 2 shots of arborio risotto rice per person), then add water gradually… and stir. That’s all there is to it, just stir. Add a splash of wine, to look more proficient, and as always – a sprig of fresh greens on top to give it a more high-end look.
Traditional
For the Shropshire locals, or to impress a sexy visitor, crank the Shropshire dating scene up a notch and start your story over some yummy treats. Why not use your date as an excuse not just to try out a new recipe, but one that’s a signature of your locale. Shropshire has some awesome traditional dishes and a couple of fun ones to try would be the Fidget Pie or Market Drayton Gingerbread. One can be a main, the other dessert. You could try one or both and you AND your date can get stuck into some fun cooking. Both dishes include making dough and baking, so they’re great for having a bit of messy fun and enjoying a glass of wine while the oven does its job.
If you’re a genius chef, then there’s probably little we can share with you, except that if you want your evening to culminate in excitement, overeating is never a good idea – cook something impressive, but not too filling! And, you know, include onions at your own risk. But whether you choose to make a beef wellington with soufflé or a good old mac n’ cheese, it’s all about the chemistry and the magic.