a love post.

My wonderful boyfriend drove to see me on Valentine's Day! To be honest, v-day has never been at the top of my favorite holiday list (it's just not my favorite unless there's marathon eating involved!), and I wasn't sure what we were going to do to celebrate. J completely surprised me and a few days before the 14th told me he was coming for a visit. . . and had a bouquet of tulips, a bottle of wine and plans for a home-cooked dinner in tow.

I love cooking with wine. What did I do before I was 21 and couldn't buy the stuff?

And! Another surprise! Not only was he making me dinner, but J was making me duck -- which I had never in my life tasted. Added bonus: the duck traveled all the way here from J's Dad, who had hunted it last fall at their farm.

Adding a pinch of flavor to the duck boobs.

J tackled the duck and pomegranate sauce (also something I had never tried. . .blame my stubborn  childhood palate!) and I made little red potatoes in garlic butter. Had I not been rushing around earlier in the day getting ready for J's visit, I totally would have made some crusty bread. Bane of my existence, I tell you.

 

We sat down to dinner a bit late, around 9 o'clock, and lemme tell you -- it was absolutely amazing. I wasn't surprised at all that I loved the pomegranate duck, as I'm a huge fan of anything salty and sweet together (brilliant combination), but I could not get over how game-y it didn't taste. I've only tried deer once and I think pheasant when I was really young, both of which I remember as being intensely heavy. The duck wasn't like that at all. My garlic butter potatoes were totally put to shame.