Valentine's Day 2010 Activities for Food Lovers

There's no shortage of Valentine's day prix fixe dinners, cooking classes and other food-related fun for couples, kids and singles around Toronto. Shakespeare said that music was the food of love, but I'm inclined to think the food of love may well be... food itself. In particular, seafood, red fruits and berries, exotic meats, sparkling wines, sweet baked treats and of course chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, to judge by the following lineup.

Until noon on February 1, you can order a complete five-course prix fixe dinner from All the Best Fine Foods (1101 Yonge, 416-928-3330) to eat at home on Sunday, February 14. It all comes packed for reheating in the oven with complete instructions. Order via the PDF form. $125+tax (serves two). The menu includes

• Grilled octopus salad with olive & tomato antiboise
• Red pepper bisque with garnish of deep-fried oysters & chèvre cream
• An entrée of either "Love Me Tenderloin" with lobster mashed potatoes or Mushroom & spinach Wellington with truffle emulsion & thyme essence
• Side dishes of Haricots verts and Vanilla-poached carrot spears
• Dark chocolate espresso cake with mascarpone cream.

February 2 to 14, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m: Valentine’s Cookie Decorating Open House at Madeleines, Cherry Pie and Ice Cream (1087 Bathurst at Dupont, 416-537-3131). Decorate 6 large or 12 mini heart-shaped cookies. $25 pp+tax, reservations requested. With groups of 8 or more, each participant receives a free beverage.

Thursday, February 11, 6 to 9 p.m.: Couples Cooking: Valentine's Day Dinner (Calphalon Centre, 425 King West at Bathurst, 416-846-2212). A hands-on cooking class that will lead couples through the preparation of Leek & lobster ravioli with saffron cream, Pan-seared beef tenderloin with wild mushroom Sauté, and Dark chocolate raspberry torte. $260+tax per couple.

Friday, February 12

6 to 9 p.m.: Couples Cooking: Valentine's Day Dinner (Calphalon Centre, 425 King West at Bathurst, 416-846-2212). See Thursday, February 11.

7:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Bubbles & Brie Tasting at Culinarium (705 Mount Pleasant, 647-430-7004) $54 pp+tax

Saturday, February 13

Noon to 3 p.m.: Couples Cooking: Valentine's Day Lunch (Calphalon Centre, 425 King West at Bathurst, 416-846-2212). A hands-on cooking class that will lead couples through the preparation of Leek lobster ravioli with saffron cream, Pan-seared beef tenderloin with wild mushroom sauté & young vegetables, and Dark chocolate raspberry torte. $260+tax per couple.

5 to 8 p.m.: Couples Cooking: Valentine's Day Dinner (Calphalon Centre, 425 King West at Bathurst, 416-846-2212). See Thursday, February 11.

7 to 9 p.m.: Couples in the Kitchen: Valentine's Day (Dish Cooking Studio, 390 Dupont, 416-920-5559). $125 pp+tax. A hands-on cooking class that leads participants through a menu that includes

• Fresh oysters with champagne mignonette granite
• Honey-roasted beet salad with Pernod vinaigrette
• Porcini papparadelle with poached egg & caviar
• Moist almond cake with bitter chocolate sorbet

Valentine’s Day Dinner with The Chef Upstairs (516 Mount Pleasant, 416-544-9221). Only twelve couples will sit down for an intimate five-course meal with wine pairing. $125 pp+tax+tip. Chef Judson Flom’s menu includes

• Choice of either Pan-seared scallops in tangerine jalapeño glaze on an English cucumber & tobiko or Montreal-style gravlox wrapped around a seasoned bread stick with an infused caper crème fraiche dip
• Beet-red ravioli stuffed with a mushroom goat’s cheese compound beside a rosemary cream sauce drizzled with an aged balsamic
• Shaved fennel salad with blood oranges, Pecorino & pomegranate tossed with love in a citrus vinaigrette
• Panko-crusted shrimp with sliced fire-roasted chateaubriand supported by classic Yorshire pudding & infused Dijon horseradish cream sauce
• Chocolate ganache oeufs à la neige

Valentine’s Day Dinner at The Roosevelt Room (2 Drummond Place, 416-599-9000). Executive Chef Trevor Wilkinson has put together a prix fixe menu for sweethearts that promises such items as Ahi tuna capriccio, Rainbow trout tartare with sea urchin dressing, and Duck confit and guanciale risotto with sunchokes and sage, plus entertainment in the ‘20s-nightclub setting. $65 pp+tax+tip

Sunday, February 14

Seatings at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.: Valentine’s Day Champagne Brunch (Madeleines, Cherry Pie and Ice Cream, 1087 Bathurst at Dupont, 416-537-3131). Kyla Eaglesham of Madeleine’s says “we’re trying for the feeling of the Valentine’s friends’ celebration in Julie and Julia. We have room for romantic and we have room for a group." Her menu:

• Coeur à la crème with berries & a trio of mini pastries
• A choice of three mains: Eggs Benedict with Black Forest ham, Hollandaise sauce & spinach salad or Three-egg scramble with smoked salmon, dilled crème fraìche & spinach salad or Pain perdue with side spinach salad & seared pancetta
• Mini fondue au chocolat with petites madeleines, meringues and fresh fruit
• A Champagne Mimosa
• Coffee, tea and juice

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Valentine's Day Brunch at Dish Cooking Studio (390 Dupont, 416-920-5559). A cooking demo and meal including Winter fruit compote, Sweet hot bacon, Soft-cooked eggs with onion soubise, Caviar & potato chips and Instant gratification cinnamon buns. $135 pp+tax

Noon to 3 p.m.: Couples Cooking: Valentine's Day Lunch (Calphalon Centre, 425 King West at Bathurst, 416-846-2212). See Saturday, February 13 at noon.

Prego Della Piazza Valentine's Day Menu (150 Bloor West, 647-258-7951). A four-course prix fixe, $70 pp+tax+tip:

• Choice of seven antipasti (Roasted red pepper & spinach soup, Arugula & pomelo insalata with blood orange vinaigrette, Caprese di bufala mozzarella with extra virgin olive oil & basil, Pan-seared crab cake with chili aioli & corn salsa, Calamari alla Griglia with lemon olive oil & fagioli insalata, Prosciutto-wrapped figs with goat cheese & balsamic glaze or Pear, Boston, gorgonzola, walnut & endive insalata).
• Choice of two primi (Spinach & ricotta ravioli with sage prosecco butter or Wild mushroom risotto with gorgonzola)
• Choice of six secondi: 6-ounce filet with wild mushrooms & onion frites, Veal medallions with brie, grainy mustard demi-glace and garlic mashed potatoes, Prosciutto-wrapped Cornish hen with roasted root vegetables, Seared halibut, rapini, grilled artichoke, lemon & Brunello olive oil, Grilled Nova Scotia lobster with green asparagus & beurre-blanc ($10 extra), or Blackened wild salmon filet with fresh mango salsa & sautéed spinach.
• For dessert, a choice of Vanilla bean crème brûlee, Mixed berry tart with vanilla custard, Flourless chocolate torte warm chocolate sauce & gelato, Fresh berries & cream, Raspberry & lemon sorbet or Tiramisu.

Valentine’s at Lolita’s (Lolita's Lust & The Chinchilla Lounge, 513 Danforth, 647-260-0789). $75 pp+tax+tip. The prix fixe includes a glass of presecco. Also available is the "Valen-tini", a blend of raspberry vodka, crème de cacao, cranberry juice, and champagne float for $10.95. Executive Chef Elton Cecco's passionate prix fixe menu includes

• An "anticipation" choice of Tuna tartare with celeriac remoulade, Lobster dumplings with miso chili sauce, Grilled figs, gorgonzola & arugula salad with a balsamic reduction, Hearts of romaine Caesar salad or Mixed green salad with oven roasted tomatoes balsamic glaze
• A "love" choice of Grilled Nebraskan ostrich tenderloin with spicy cocoa sauce, Filet of beef with Gorgonzola cream, Baked salmon marinated in red beet jus, Grilled ahi tuna with a pine nut tahini purée balsamic glaze, Fresh house-made tagliatelle pasta with tomato cream purée, Roasted chicken breast with ragu of field mushrooms & roasted tomatoes or Braised lamb shank with caramelized onions & red wine reduction
• A "crave" platter of Feta scallop potato, Grilled asparagus and Maple-glazed carrots
• A "desire" platter of Chocolate-dipped strawberries, Cheesecake and Lemon tart

Joy Bistro Valentines Day Menu (884 Queen East, 416-465-8855). $50 pp+tax+tip. With wine pairings, an additional $25 (includes a sparkling wine to start, followed in order by Cave Springs Dolomite Riesling, Mike Weir Sauvignon Blanc, Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir and Rivesaltes Ambre). The menu:

• An amuse-bouche
• Maple carrot and ginger soup with butternut squash croquette
• Lobster ravioli with shaved fennel, sweet onion and tarragon
• Seared Cornish hen with wild mushroom, garlic rapini, fondant potatoes and tomato jus
• White and dark chocolate pot de crème with praline almonds

Also, for the week of Valentine’s Day, Chef Claudio Aprile of Colborne Lane (45 Colborne Street, 416-368-9009) promises an aphrodisiac-themed tasting menu (oysters? roses? apples?) that will certainly be given his characteristic molecular gastronomy treatment, with freeze-dried, powdered and foamed ingredients and quite possibly some exciting liquid nitrogen ice cream for dessert. Last year’s version featured a surprising frozen meal-ending treat with exploding cinnamon candy hearts. $109 pp+tax+tip. Wine pairings are included for an additional $49.

There are so many choices in town that I ended up creating a second list of Valentine's food possibilities. If you run across more great Valentine's activities, let me know!

Photo credit: Kakisky, Morguefile