Valentine’s Day Menu Ingredients that Never Go Out of Style
For the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, Valentine’s Day falls during a slow season for produce when we rely on a lot of imports and counter-season availability to fill in with limited local and regional production. Don’t let that put a damper on culinary creativity! There are plenty of year-round or seasonal specialty items that are reliable enough to count on year after year to brighten up Valentine’s Day plates.
Here are some of the top fruits and vegetables to bring color and flavor to Valentine Day menus:
PINK FOODS
Watermelon radish
Watermelon radish is a hard product to beat for Valentine’s Day due to its deep pink flesh and colorful green skin. With a mild flavor, watermelon radish has the ability to dazzle customers but be careful- this radish variety is best used in raw applications as its color leaches when cooked.
Moro Blood Orange
There’s no color as synonymous with Valentine’s Day like the color red and moro blood oranges are the perfect way to incorporate this color into spreads. The best part is, whether these oranges are juiced or tossed into a salad, they do not lose their deep red color- making them the perfect statement piece!
Cara Cara Orange
Cara cara oranges look the same as a traditional navel on the outside, but house a beautiful pink flesh underneath its rind. It can be used in the same applications as a typical navel, but cara cara’s are extremely more attractive for plating purposes.
APHRODISIACS
Baby Arugula
The best thing about aphrodisiacs is that they don’t cost any extra from what you would normally buy- they are many of our day to day products! Baby arugula is just one of many and makes for an elegant garnish for Valentine’s Day dishes.
Hass Avocado
Hass avocados are one of the most well known varieties of avocado, but did you know they are also an aphrodisiac? That’s right- each bite of that fresh guac could make for a better and better Valentine’s Day…
Pomegranate
Pomegranates are a double whammy for Valentine’s Day- they are both a pink food and aphrodisiac! They are also a very versatile fruit to add to menus as pomegranates pair perfectly in both sweet and savory dishes. We recommend adding them to a sweet dessert to be shared between couples or creating the perfect V-Day cocktail.
STEAK SIDES
Mix Color Fingerling Potatoes
There’s no side to steak more iconic than potatoes! Mix fingerling potatoes add not only a bit of color to a dish, but they are the perfect size for roasting whole or halved.
Shallots
Shallots are a secret weapon among Valentine’s Day lovers. They pack the flavorful taste of garlic without the stinky breath afterwards.
Black Garlic
Cooking steak with black garlic is a mouth watering way to get Valentine’s Day couples coming back for more after the holiday. Contrary to regular garlic, black garlic undergoes a long fermentation process, making the flavor more sweet like molasses with a bit of umami.
BABY VEGETABLES
Bunched Baby Beets
Baby beets come in a variety of colors; red, candy stripe, or gold. Regardless of the variety that’s used, bunched baby beets will add a needed splash of color to Valentine’s Day dishes. They can be roasted and served whole with their elegant tails intact.
Bunches Baby Carrots
Baby bunched carrots are a charming edition of Valentine’s Day menus. They add a sweet flavor while adding a unique farm to table look that not many other products can pull off.
Baby Fennel
Baby fennel can be used as an elegant garnish to dishes that adds a licorice-like flavor and a crispy texture to dishes. Its green color perfectly compliments any pink or red food used in a dish. Not only that, but baby fennel is also an aphrodisiac!
EDIBLE FLOWERS
Edible flowers are among some of the most popular Valentine’s Day products. From orchids, rose petals, and more, they have the ability to elegantly add garnish to dishes in a cheerful way. Their flavor is mild and will not overpower other ingredients used in dishes or drinks.
