By Marguerite Bonneville
You've decided to invite someone you're dating to your home for a
romantic evening and you want everything to go well. Here are a few
tips to help you achieve that result.
There are a number of factors you need to consider when planning
your romantic evening:
1. Your Physical Surroundings
It's a good idea to make sure your house or apartment is clean and
tidy. It may not be anyone's primary focus but it will make an
impression on your guest, even if it's subliminal.
Spend a few hours doing the cleaning yourself, hire someone to do
it for you, or, at the very least, shove all that clutter into your
closets or under the bed. Wipe down surfaces to get rid of dust and
stains.
Apart from the living and dining areas, there are two other rooms
that need your attention:
a. The bathroom
Wipe down the sink/washbasin, tub and shower stall. Put a fresh
cake of soap on the sink and hang fresh towels. At the very least
your guest will use the bathroom to wash his or her hands so make
sure it's a pleasant experience.
b. The bedroom
Get rid of any extraneous clutter like clothes strewn around the
room or on the floor. Change the sheets, make the bed and wipe down
any surfaces. If your guest ends up spending the night, you don't
want him or her racing off for a tetanus shot in the morning.
To create a romantic atmosphere in your bedroom, have some scented
candles on hand and an easy-to-reach sound system. You might also
consider buying a quilt cover in a rich, romantic color and a set
of sheets to match.
2. Your Choice Of Menu
While food can be an excellent means of seduction, it's a mistake
to choose too complicated a menu unless you're an experienced cook
and you don't get easily flustered.
Simple dishes like spaghetti or ratatouille make a tasty and
satisfying meal without spiking your anxiety levels. The point is
to enjoy the evening along with your guest, not treat the event
like it's a university-entrance exam.
How To Avoid Psycho-Chef Syndrome
One trick is to prepare as much of the meal as possible beforehand
so you're not rushing around like a pinball once your guest
arrives.
Have all the ingredients chopped, diced and ready for cooking. Do
this the night before or earlier that day, whatever works best for
you.
Salad ingredients can be prepared earlier and stored in separate
containers, then added to the salad bowl and dressed before
serving.
You can even cheat by purchasing your meal from a favorite
restaurant and having it delivered (or picking it up) before your
guest arrives.
Definitely buy desert from your favorite bakery or supermarket,
unless you're a wiz at whipping up a Pavlova or meringue. Another
option is to prepare dessert the night before and reheat it if
necessary when you're ready to serve it.
3. Your Cooking Area
Make sure your kitchen is clean before you begin cooking. Yes,
you'll no doubt make a mess once you start but you don't want
yesterday's dishes in the way. Your guest may offer to help so the
kitchen needs to meet minimum health standards.
It's up to you whether you accept this help or not, but we
recommend that you do, even if it's only a token effort like
tossing the salad. Sharing cooking tasks can be a wonderfully
romantic interaction as it creates a special kind of intimacy. Have
you ever noticed how much more easily conversation flows when two
people are doing a task, as opposed to sitting face to face?
4. Setting The Table
Set the table beforehand. Use a good tablecloth, your best
silverware and a nice set of plates. Use your best glasses and an
attractive salt and pepper set, milk jug and sugar bowl. Show your
guest that you went to some trouble to make the meal a special
occasion. This is not the time for melamine dishes or chipped or
mismatched crockery. You're aiming for a touch of class.
Use candlesticks on the table for a romantic ambience, or place
candles on other surfaces around the room.
Background music is a must but make sure it's romantic and subtle.
Limit blaring rock and roll or rap to the period when you're
preparing dinner, but please, no high-octane music while you're
eating.
Set the sound at a low volume so it doesn't interfere with your
conversation. And remember, if you don't play music during the meal
you run the risk of filling any silences with the sound of people
masticating.
5. Cleaning Up Later
Don't let your guest anywhere near the kitchen after the meal is
over. Hopefully you'll have better things to do with your time
together.
But all is not lost if they do insist on helping with the chores.
Many a couple has fallen in love while doing the dishes, for two
main reasons:
1. As mentioned earlier, there's the ease of conversation that
takes place when you're doing a task rather than concentrating on
talking.
2. Doing dishes together is like playing house. It can actually
feel very romantic, especially when one or both people realize,
"This is what I want with this person." You won't get the same
effect if you use a dishwasher, so set aside at least a couple of
pots, which will you allow to suggest, "I'll wash and you
dry."
With a little forethought, anyone can create a romantic evening at
home. The old cliché, "the way to a person's heart is through their
stomach", has more than a little truth to it. Test it yourself with
someone you care about. The least you'll get is a great home-cooked
meal.
Food Facts article.
About the author:
Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic
Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online.
She is a contributing writer at
http://www.favorite-recipes-online.com,a resource site dedicated to
helping visitors access the best online recipes.
Labels: Everyday
Food, Food,
Food
Facts, Health
Food, Healthy
Food, Romantic
Dinner, Whole
Food
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Portuguese Roast Turkey
