My love language is most definitely, undeniably, food. It took me a long time to see the pattern: my personal rewards for a job well done, reasons to get together with friends that had fallen out of touch and ways to to connect with my husband all centred around eating great food. When my husband and I first moved in together, I remember being shocked by my own domesticity, and it was during that time that I learned to massage the starch from arborio rice to make the perfect risotto, and took up the challenge of creating a multi-course Indian meal on my stove with two broken burners. I realize now that it was the best way I knew how to show him how much he meant to me, and that I was committed to the life we were growing together. I have a twinge of sadness, nowadays, when I realize that the realities of the 9-5 with two kids in tow (one of whom is fairly particular, in the way of toddlers, about what she eats) has caused us to rely more on those quickly whipped together weeknight standards that lack the flourish of Sunday dinner, or a romantic meal for two. My heart is in it, surely, but there rarely seem to be enough hours in the day.
I love the idea that a fellow food blogger and food-as-love-language enthusiast Ashley Rodriguez had: once a week, she and her husband put their three children to bed and then share a special dinner date together in the comfort of their own home. The concept resonated strongly with her readers, and she published a cookbook called “Date Night In” just recently. It occurred to me, though, that an evening of sharing food with my love doesn’t even have to be as elaborate as a three course meal with accompanying cocktail: it can be as simple as a creative snack assembled easily and enjoyed together – even for only as long as a small bowl of whipped feta and fancy crackers lasts. This dip is remarkably exquisite considering the ease with which it can be pulled together; the flavours of sweet heat, fresh mint and salty cheese are punctuated by each crunch into a lightly roasted pistachio, and soon you’ll find yourself chasing down the perfect combination of these components to top each cracker.
How do you connect with your partner or other loved ones? Do you make it a regular habit?
This is a cross-posting from my new blog, Nalumana Women’s Wellness.
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup pistachios, lightly roasted and chopped
- 1/4 honey
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon mint, chiffonade
- Combine the honey and chili flakes in a small bowl; set aside.
- In a food processor, blend feta cheese and olive oil. You may need to adjust the amount of olive oil depending on the consistency and moisture of your cheese: the mixture, when blended, should be smooth and creamy.
- Place whipped feta in a serving bowl. Top with pistachios, chili honey and mint. Enjoy!
