A Valentine's Day Shout Out

Valentine's Day is very special to me, because it is also the day I married my husband of three years. Every year, we do a fondue dinner paired with of course, wine. Fondue is a fun way to play with your food, and I've shared with you some tips on how to prepare the perfect Valentine's day dinner for your sweetie. Recipes for Fondue can be found everywhere online for free, or if you feel like splurging, pick up a book of fondue recipes. I recommend the book Fondue, by Bob and Coleen Simmons.

Course One - Swiss Fondue with a Sauvignon Blanc: The bitey, tangy, but oh so good Swiss fondue pairs nicely with the crisp melon/grapefruit and citrus flavors of a Sauvignon Blanc. Toast some French bread, and cut up some carrots, apples, and celery to accompany this dish.

Course Two - Spiced Broth Fondue with a Merlot: I suggest using beef broth with scallions, ginger, pepper, and garlic. Pretty much any type of meat from beef tenderloin, teriyaki chicken, and shrimp will go nicely with this broth. In addition, chop up some zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, and red skin potatoes to accompany this dish. This second course will go nicely with a medium bodied Merlot that is not too fruit forward. A Merlot will balance out the heartiness of the beef broth and will give the wine a creamier finish.

In addition: There are many different sauces you can make to accompany your meats and vegetables. This just kicks up the second course another notch.

Course Three - Dark Chocolate Fondue with a Port: Chocolate fondue is very easy to make and goes great with strawberries, pound cake, cheesecake, and marshmallows. Pair this dessert with a Port. The sweetness of the Port pairs very well with the bitterness of the dark chocolate.

Hopefully this has given you some good ideas for your Valentine's Day dinner!