Romancing the Stove

Photo from buycuteaprons.com

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and I couldn’t agree more.  What is the way to a woman’s heart?  Is it chocolate, shoes or purses?  I'd take all three for sure! Of course there is much more to a relationship than food and gifts, but there is something that you do most everyday that could be a way to heat things up for both of you. What might make its way to both of your hearts is cooking together.  Yes, that’s right, you and your better half in the kitchen cooking. Not only is it something to do together, it can be really romantic.  Yes, romantic.  

Couples in the kitchen together are a little like two dancers.  Someone takes the lead, and another follows.  It can be a graceful waltz or a comical series of errors.  It all depends on your experience, or lack of, in the kitchen and how comfortable you are being in the kitchen together.  Cooking together offers a way to learn to do something together. If you are experienced cook, preparing a meal together can be a way to show off a little, and showing your skill and knowledge in a confident way is sexy.  One of the romantic things about cooking together is that you really can learn something about the other person and it is a wonderful way to bond with the one you love.  Do they follow directions, or do they give them?  Are they patient or anxious?   Maybe they are bossy or controlling?  It is important to remember that communication is a key element to any relationship.  When you are in the kitchen cooking together you have to communicate, otherwise a step could be missed, a pot may boil over, or the food may burn.  A relationship, and dinner, could go up in flames if there is poor communication.

When I think of couples in the kitchen together I immediately think of a few movies which are contemporary, romantic comedies. The first, and a favorite of mine, is “Something’s Gotta Give”, There is one scene, where Erica (Diane Keaton) and Harry (Jack Nicholson), who’s characters are both night owls, separately step in to the kitchen to get a bite to eat, both in their robes, not romantically involved, not yet,  and decide to make pancakes. They are standing in the kitchen, chatting and something begins to stir between them.  Later on, after a spontaneous afternoon of romance, they are in the kitchen in robes, again, eating scrambled eggs out of the frying pan, by candle light. In one of the next scenes, Erica is offing to make Harry some French toast, to which Harry says to her as she is about to leave the room, “You are a woman to love”.  I think she got to him, without her realizing that it was partly due to her cooking. See, the saying is true.

Then there is, “It’s Complicated”.  Here is another example of a woman cooking her way to her man's heart.  Jane (Meryl Streep) makes a croque monsieur (grilled ham and Gruyère cheese) sandwich for Adam (Steve Martin) in her kitchen. The lighting is low as they sit at the kitchen island talking and getting to know one another. Then there is a scene when Jane makes Adam these delicious looking chocolate croissants from scratch in her bakery.  

Hopefully your cooking experience won’t be like in “Annie Hall”, when Diane Keaton and Woody Allen’s characters are trying to cook live lobsters together. Hysterical!  

Don't laugh, but cooking together offers an amount of pleasure in a variety of ways.  Not only is fun and relaxing, it can be a way to strengthen your relationship. Taking a cooking class is a way to incorporate cooking as an activity together.  Another exciting part of cooking is that it uses all your senses.  Seeing, touching, smelling and listening to the food as it cooks and tasting it when it is done.  

You could plan a day to cook a romantic meal together, maybe include a movie, or have an indoor picnic. You could pretend you’re at a concert and play CD’s of your favorite band. You can make it fun or sensual. Where ever your imagination takes you, it will be a memorable night.  Stirring up a little romance in the kitchen is hot.  What will you cook up?