“Almond French Toast Hearts” & A “Strawberry Bellini” For "Valentine's Day"

                              “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind”
                                                         By W. Shakespeare

Welcome readers…Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! Take your loved one by the hand, and enjoy this day of “Love.” Here are some interesting facts about this day; Valentine greetings were very popular as far back in history as the middle Ages. Written Valentine greetings did not appear until after the 1400s. The oldest known Valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, in England. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London and wrote a poem for his wife. It is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a Valentine note to Catherine of Valois. By the middle of the 18th century, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange a small token of affection or handwritten notes. In the 1900s printed cards replaced hand written notes due to the progress in printing technology. 
 

I thought it would be fun to know some facts about the flowers that our loved ones give us.. Do you know what the colors of flowers mean? Well, snuggle up with your loved one and see how well you did on what the colors actually mean.

The rose, undoubtedly the most popular flower in the world, speaks of love and has been the traditional choice of sweethearts during every century. Precisely how it came to be the universal symbol of love and beauty is unclear. However, the rose was a sacred flower of Venus, Roman Goddess of Love, and the color red is associated with strong emotions. The rose is symbolic of both peace and war...both love and forgiveness. The letters of "rose" when rearranged, form the word "Eros"...God of Love. In terms of the sentiments expressed by the different colors of the rose, the commonly accepted meanings are:

Coral -- Desire
Lavender -- Enchantment & Uniqueness
Pink (Pale) -- Grace, Joy & Happiness
Pink (Dark) -- Thankfulness, Friendship & Admiration
Red -- Love, Respect & Courage
Deep Red -- Beauty & Passion
White -- Innocence, Purity, Secrecy, Silence, Humility, True Love
Yellow -- Joy, Friendship, Jealousy, Hope & Freedom
Black -- Farewell
Red/White -- Unity or Engagement
Yellow/Orange -- Passionate Thoughts
Rosebud -- Beauty, Youth & a Heart Innocent of Love
Red Rosebud -- Purity & Loveliness
White Rosebud -- Girlhood
Single Red Rose in Full Bloom -- "I Love You"
One Dozen Red Roses -- "I Love You"
Tea Roses -- "I'll Remember Always"

Another flower particularly associated with Valentine's Day is the violet, which has a special connotation since legend states that violets grew outside the window of the jail where Saint Valentine was imprisoned. In the language of flowers, the violet is symbolic of faithfulness while a violet stone...the amethyst...is also considered lucky for sweethearts. 

mom & dad wedding  (1951)

You can fill your home with romance and love. A day where indulgence and passion is in the air. You may receive flowers, chocolates in a heart shaped box, or gifts to express your feelings towards that special someone, like jewelry. Some find romance on this day when couples become engaged. My dad proposed to my mom on Valentine's Day in 1949 and they married in 1951. This December it will be “64” years of blissful marriage for them. My parents told me the story on how they got engaged….. The year was 1949, Chinatown, New York City in a Chinese restaurant, on Valentines Day. My mom and dad had a favorite Chinese restaurant that was located upstairs from a store. They would frequently meet each other after work. This was the day that my dad was going to surprise my mom with “the ring.” He tried to be ingenious and he put the ring in my mom’s tea cup when she went to the powder room. Just before he poured the tea, my mom said, “What is in this cup?” And low and behold she saw the ring and that is how it all began. So the moral of the story is always look in the cup before you have some tea!

I hope that you enjoyed some fun facts and you have a wonderful “Happy Valentine’s Day” with your loved ones. Here is a recipe for a delicious breakfast which you may want to make for your special Valentine. A perfect way to start your Valentine’s Day. My recipe is called, “Almond French Toast Hearts.” An easy, romantic, and healthy dish. You can use the Almond Butter or some pure maple syrup, or even a dusting of powdered sugar. No matter what you put on them, they are a decadent way to celebrate your Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart. My recipe is a favorite, why not add some strawberries or fresh fruit and enjoy with your favorite person! “Happy Valentine’s Day“!!!! Baci e amore!

“Almond French Toast Hearts”

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Yield: 5-6 servings 

Ingredients:
10-12 (1 inch) slices of bread
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the almond butter:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
Cut bread slices into heart shapes. You can use a large, almost 4 inch heart, cookie cutter or cut your own heart shape with kitchen shears. Use trimmings for another purpose. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, and 1 tsp almond extract. In large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Dip both sides of each bread heart into the egg mixture and place on the hot skillet. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

For the almond butter: in a small bowl, blend together the 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar, and 1/2 tsp almond extract.

Serve cooked French Toast with the almond butter along with a sprinkling of powdered and fresh raspberries or strawberry slices. Drizzle with pure maple syrup.
 

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The Bellini is a famous champagne cocktail created by Giuseppe Cipriani, proprietor of Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. Cipriani named his drink after Giovanni Bellini, his favorite Italian painter. The Bellini has become one of the most famous and popular of all wine cocktails or champagne cocktails, and usually is served as a Peach Bellini. This Strawberry Bellini is a twist on the original. Delizioso! Cin Cin!

“Strawberry Bellini”

Ingredients:
1 bottle of your favorite Champagne or Prosecco
1 cup Simple Syrup (or less if you don't like it sweet)
1 small bag of frozen Strawberries
To garnish: use fresh strawberries on the side of your glass or Chocolate covered ones, in a small bowl adds another texture/and flavor.

Directions:
Take out your blender, and add the frozen strawberries. Then, add the simple syrup. Remember, simple syrup is just equal parts water to sugar and boiled till the sugar is dissolved. So, in this case 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar, dissolved. Next, add about a half cup of the champagne to the blender. Puree for about 30 seconds until the mixture is well blended. Take out your champagne glasses, and pour the puree to about 1/2 the way. Then, add champagne to the remaining half. Stir. It really is a pretty drink, and very simple to make. Enjoy!!


(Please Drink Responsibly)

Till Next Time………………..

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