Veronica73 Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 (edited) So say it’s the third date...or whatever date... and you invite your new girl/guy over for a home-cooked meal at your place for the first time. Any tips? Any go-to recipes or menus? Do you cook together or by yourself? Any anecdotes- funny, successful, disasterous, or whatever- to share? Edited October 27, 2018 by Veronica73
smackie9 Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 It's all whatever you are into. If it were me I would be grilling something because that is what I love to do. 1
Shining One Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 If you know what the person likes and you know how to make it, I would go with that. Trying to remember the first thing I made for my girlfriend... I think it was sous-vide garlic pepper chicken seared by blowtorch and cilantro lime orzo with black beans and roasted bell peppers. She loved it, but she decided to take a bite off my plate, which was barbeque jerk chicken and started crying from the spice. 1
Author Veronica73 Posted October 27, 2018 Author Posted October 27, 2018 If you know what the person likes and you know how to make it, I would go with that. Trying to remember the first thing I made for my girlfriend... I think it was sous-vide garlic pepper chicken seared by blowtorch and cilantro lime orzo with black beans and roasted bell peppers. She loved it, but she decided to take a bite off my plate, which was barbeque jerk chicken and started crying from the spice. Wow, sous-vide and blowtorch searing- I’m impressed. That sounds delicious by the way (not the tear-inducing jerk chicken).
FMW Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 The most important consideration for me is to feel comfortable with my ability. So choose something you have plenty of experience with. As to cooking together I would just see what comes naturally - if he asks if he can help then by all means make it a joint effort. Generally grilled meat and salads are popular I would think. I would save the more complex dishes until later
d0nnivain Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 If you are a good cook, make your favorite not too much fuss recipe. If you are not a great cook, make spaghetti & meatballs using jarred sauce. It's easy & practically foolproof, just make the noodles al dente according to the package directions. Serve something as an appetizer even chips & dip, make a salad, have something simply for dessert like ice cream or store bought cookies if you are not a baker.
Shining One Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 Wow, sous-vide and blowtorch searing- I’m impressed. That sounds delicious by the way (not the tear-inducing jerk chicken).Thanks, it was delicious. The garlic pepper chicken was a tried-and-true recipe. I tend to experiment a lot when cooking for myself. I note the ones that turn out well and make them for other people. The jerk was good too. My heat-tolerant friends love it. It's all about cooking for the specific recipient(s). My girlfriend doesn't like rice, but she does like pasta. That's why I used orzo instead of basmati rice, which is what I normally use for this dish.
alphamale Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 screw cooking in the kitchen, cook in the bedroom
Shining One Posted October 27, 2018 Posted October 27, 2018 screw cooking in the kitchen, cook in the bedroomI like to pack her with calories and then help her burn them off.
Art_Critic Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 I've had women cook on the first date (but I knew them before hand) and women cook for me by the third date and every time it was an easy to cook but good meal, Lasagna or something like that. Make sure its a recipe that you cook all the time and all will go good... 1
Lotsgoingon Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 Woman cooks for me on the third date ... food just has to be reasonably good ... doesn't even have to be great. Have fun and cook something you want! ... He'll be happy. 1
Happy Lemming Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 My girlfriend is recuperating from out patient surgery and staying with me for 1-2 weeks, so I've been cooking some of her favorite meals. The last couple of nights I've made the following: (1) Tacos (2) Steak & baked potato with string beans (3) Marinated Chicken Breast Kabobs (4) Fettuccine Alfredo with Spinach (5) Asian Orange Pork w/broccoli over rice (made in pressure cooker) PM me if you want details on any of these dinner recipes. Best of luck with your meal!!
Author Veronica73 Posted October 28, 2018 Author Posted October 28, 2018 Grilled meat and a salad are always good for me. I make some great salads. I also love tacos. I’m thinking this time I might do raclette. I know it is more of a winter thing... but it is fun.
lana-banana Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 My husband made me beef wellington for our first official date (but we'd already known each other for a long time by that point, and had bonded over a mutual love of cooking and baking). So long as you are comfortable inviting somebody into your home, cooking for them is fine. Some tips: - Always ask about food allergies before you plan your menu! - Do as much mise en place (set up) as you can in the days before. You can do things like chopping onions and peppers ahead of time. If he's coming over Saturday, get started Thursday or Friday night. - Try to use as few pots and pans as possible. You don't want to spend your date night cleaning up. - Along those lines: run and empty the dishwasher before he comes over. That way clean-up is easier and doesn't involve stacking dishes in the sink. - Decide on timing. Do you want to be sitting down together as soon as he comes over, or will he be there while you cook? If it's the latter, choose recipes with more hands-off techniques, like sous vide or roasting. You can also do a risotto and make conversation while you stir (or even switch on and off stirring duty). - Eat seasonally for the best results. Go to your local farmer's markets! Don't buy crappy produce or meat at the grocery store. Splurge on spotlight ingredients and save on staples. - For more hands-off hosting stick to the formula of a main course, a starch, and a side salad. You can prepare the side salad ahead of time (make the dressing a day or so before, throw together the rest of the salad ingredients the day of, and dress it right when you sit down) and keep the starch warm in the oven or on the stove, and spend most of your energy on the main course. - Don't do a dessert unless you know he's a big dessert person. People generally aren't that excited about desserts, especially if they're health-conscious. If you do go for a dessert course, make something on the smaller side, like individual creme brulees, pots de creme, mini-cheesecakes, etc. - If you're drinking red wine you can improve its taste significantly by throwing it in a blender and holding "pulse" for 30 seconds. This works whether your wine is five bucks or five hundred. Trust me. - Have fun! 2
Author Veronica73 Posted October 28, 2018 Author Posted October 28, 2018 Date 3 is too soon for this. I would agree...but it seems that it is common that that’s when it happens. So that is what I wrote.
Haydn Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 When i first met my better half, she invited me back for a cheese and onion crisp sandwich. Since i love them, it was perfect. Now we share the same space and salt and vinegar has been added to the menu. And i`m banned from loading the dishwasher. Good luck Veronica. 2
alphamale Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 Grilled meat and a salad are always good for me. I make some great salads. I also love tacos. I’m thinking this time I might do raclette. I know it is more of a winter thing... but it is fun. me and you would get along great V73 1
Author Veronica73 Posted October 28, 2018 Author Posted October 28, 2018 When i first met my better half, she invited me back for a cheese and onion crisp sandwich. Since i love them, it was perfect. Now we share the same space and salt and vinegar has been added to the menu. And i`m banned from loading the dishwasher. Good luck Veronica. Thanks What is an onion crisp?
Author Veronica73 Posted October 28, 2018 Author Posted October 28, 2018 - If you're drinking red wine you can improve its taste significantly by throwing it in a blender and holding "pulse" for 30 seconds. This works whether your wine is five bucks or five hundred. Trust me. - Have fun! Thanks! I have never heard that about wine. Interesting. I suppose it is a similar idea to those big roundish decanters that you pour wine into? Exposing the wine to more air.
Author Veronica73 Posted October 28, 2018 Author Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) My girlfriend is recuperating from out patient surgery and staying with me for 1-2 weeks, so I've been cooking some of her favorite meals. The last couple of nights I've made the following: (1) Tacos (2) Steak & baked potato with string beans (3) Marinated Chicken Breast Kabobs (4) Fettuccine Alfredo with Spinach (5) Asian Orange Pork w/broccoli over rice (made in pressure cooker) PM me if you want details on any of these dinner recipes. Best of luck with your meal!! Your girlfriend sounds like a lucky woman! (Besides the whole surgery bit) Edited October 28, 2018 by Veronica73
d0nnivain Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 Do not put your wine in a blender. Aerating it is fine but not with a blender.
lana-banana Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) Do not put your wine in a blender. Aerating it is fine but not with a blender. Sorry, d0nnivain, but hyperdecanting red wine is a perfectly legitimate practice. You can learn more about the process by just Googling the term (or read here). I use a regular decanter for nice wines because I like to taste the variations over time, but hyperdecanting is fine. The effect seems most pronounced (vs. decanting over an hour or aerating) in cheaper wines, like under $40 stuff. Edited October 28, 2018 by lana-banana 2
Haydn Posted October 28, 2018 Posted October 28, 2018 Thanks What is an onion crisp? You call them `Chips` in the US. https://www.walkers.co.uk/crisps-range/walkers-crisps/cheese-and-onion No cooking needed! Just the thing after 8 pints..... Good luck again!
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