Happy Valentine's Day!

OK, so it's early. All the same, my wife and I have a long running tradition (two years) of celebrating Valentine's Day by having a terrific meal at The Winds Cafe in nearby Yellow Springs, Ohio. The Winds is by far the best restaurant in the area and has a killer wine shop located next door. The Valentine's Day special menu is a meal for two. This year's feast was:

• Two flutes of Bartolotti Prosecco
• Caramella with Cream and Lobster
• Shiraz Poached Beef Filet with Potato Croquettes OR
• Scampi stuffed with Hot Crab Salad served with Risotto
• Chocolate Nemesis cake served wtih Strawberry Rose Petal and Marscapone Ice Creams
• Mayan Chocolate Love Ritual

The Prosecco was wonderful, a light, crisp version with loads of fruit. The Caramella (3" tubes of rolled pasta) was filled with a mix of ricotta, parmesan, chives and basil, and was one of the best pasta we've EVER had. Pam stunned me by having the beef (borderline vegetarian, that lady), as did I. Both of us loved it, but found the croquettes amazingly light and airy. The Nemesis cake was to die for and the ice creams dreamy, especially the strawberry rose petal. The highlight of the evening, as it was last year, is the Mayan Chocolate Love Ritual. This is an incredibly rich, thick, syrupy liquid chocolate mixed with a bit of cinnamon and hot pepper -- cayenne, I think. It's served in two demitasse cups and is something to really savor. The flavor sticks in your mouth (literally!) for fifteen minutes, almost as long as a good shot of espresso should. (Not that I've found any good espresso spots in Dayton, but that's a rant for another post.) One of the best things for us is that the Winds is family-friendly. We spent the evening at a terrific restaurant and were welcome, not just allowed, to bring our two kids along. The staff at the Winds actually enjoys having kids at the restaurant, which makes it even more special for us. I wish you and yours as fine a Valentine's as we've had!