By Haley Scarpino
Des Moines has lots of good options for a Valentine’s night on the town (see above), but staying in can be just as fun — and just as romantic. Getting dinner reservations, dressing up, braving the cold can feel like a lot of logistics for a single night.
So this year, for my wife and me, staying in feels less like skipping something and more like choosing what actually sounds good. We get to choose the food, the drinks, the desserts and the dress code (pajamas, please).
Keep it simple and special
A good at-home Valentine’s Day works best with a few basic rules. Make one thing well, not a whole menu. Make the night feel special in small, intentional ways: Light candles, set out a fresh tablecloth, use cloth napkins. Dress comfortably, but with purpose. Romance at home works best when it feels like care rather than effort.
Plan an easy meal
When it comes to what to serve, keep it low-effort and high-comfort, starting with drinks that don’t ask questions: a two-ingredient cocktail you can make from memory or a bottle of wine you already love.
For appetizers, assemble rather than cook. A few nibbles from The Cheese Shop or a scoop from the olive bar at Gateway Market feel festive without turning into a project.
For the main event, lean into something braised and forgiving. Beef stew, beef bourguignon or a pot roast deliver all the pleasure of a steakhouse dinner without the pressure — and they’re even better made ahead. Add a loaf of crusty local bread from La Mie to soak up the sauce, and skip homemade dessert in favor of something excellent from a local bakery like Crème, The Bake Shoppe or Molly’s Cupcakes. Dividing the errands helps, too: I’ll grab the appetizers, and my wife handles the dessert and wine.
A few extra tips
Try not to recreate a restaurant meal at home. If it requires tweezers, a water bath or three pans going at once, beware: It’s a trap. Valentine’s Day isn’t the night you want to prove technical competence. Instead, choose food that’s generous and foolproof — the kind that’s still great if dinner runs late.
Don’t debut a brand-new recipe, either. Stick to something you’ve made before. The goal is calm confidence, not standing at the stove at 8:47 p.m., wondering why the sauce broke.
A night at home doesn’t have to feel like a fallback to feel meaningful. Sometimes the perfect date involves an early dinner, sweatpants pulled on early and dessert eaten straight from the container while the dishes wait. Sometimes love is simply choosing an easy evening together.
Haley Scarpino is a chef, home cook, recipe tester, food editor and graduate of the Iowa Culinary Institute.
Show Comments (0)