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Valentine's Day is a holiday dedicated to spending quality time with the person or people you love, be they a siginificant other or friends, but so often it becomes a race for reservations, tables and overpriced pre fixe menus.
I am a huge fan of staying in and making a home cooked meal with my husband on Valentine's Day. What better way to eat and drink well, but also share the fun of preparing, cooking, and serving?
Just because you choose to cook at home doesn't mean you can't get the best possible ingredients, recipes, wines, and decorations to bring your special meal to life. This is a list of some of my go-to spots for amazing ingredients. If you have more to add, I'd love to get more insider tips. Happy shopping, cooking, eating and I'm sure you will enjoy your memorable night!
Favorite Specialty Stores:
1. Murray's Cheese Shop: iconic West Village mainstay - go for the selection (but also the free samples!): 254 Bleeker St, West Village
2. Brooklyn Wine Exchange: Focused on small wineries and quality bottles, the staff is incredibly knowledgable and they offer weekly classes and tastings as well: 138 Court St, Cobble Hill
3. Amy's Bread: 3 Locations, Chelsea Market, West Village, and Hell's Kitchen: This amazing bakery has everything from savory to sweet, loaves to baked treats. Even from Brooklyn, they are well worth the trek!
4. Fish Tales: Rated in the top 5 fish mongers in NYC and #1 in Brooklyn, everything is fresh and delicious, and what they don't carry normally, they can get for you with a day's notice! I plan to pick up oysters and dungeness crab, a Valentine's tradition for Bill and me. 191A Court Street, Cobble Hill
5. Union Square Green Market (Produce and Organic Meats): A year round massive selection of fresh and hot house conventional and a large amount of organic produce, the Union Square Green Market is one of the largest in the city. Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat Union Square, Manhattan