Once again it’s time for the weekly Sunday Brunch with ZA Maxfield! This week, we have one awesome friend joining us! Please welcome A Morell!
This week’s question is: “You have to cook the perfect meal for a first date, what do you choose and why?”
***BIG NEWS*** From now on, instead of the ebooks we’ve been awarding as prizes, I’ll be giving out a $5.00 Amazon gift card so readers can use it for the ebook (or other Amazon purchase) of their choice. All you have to do is comment below for your chance to win!
Last week’s winner is Neene! Congrats! You should be receiving an email from me shortly.
Let’s hear from A!
To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t cook a damn thing. Not for a first date! I’ve got to really like a person to cook for them, and there are just too many variables surrounding first dates to worry about without adding all that extra work.
For instance, let’s say you’re on a first date with someone you don’t know too well. Maybe you met in a bar somewhere and had a connection, or maybe you were matched up online. Whichever it is, you’re not familiar enough with them yet to tell whether or not they’re a serial killer. Extreme example, perhaps, but hey, it is an important distinction to be able to make. Until you can make it you should probably hesitate to give the stranger your home address. (Unless the night goes really well, in which case hopefully it’s worth the risk.)
On the other hand, let’s say you know the person. You’ve been friends or acquaintances for a while, maybe have even been dancing circles around each other for years and are now, at long last, both finally free to pursue each other to your hearts’ content. If that’s the case, it makes sense to think that a romantic dinner for two at home is the way to go, right?
Maybe. But think about it—you spend all day fussing over getting your outfit and look just right, still not quite able to believe you two are really thinking of taking things to a romantic level, wondering if you’re crazy or stupid or making a mistake or if any of your friends think so. Do you really need to add the stress of creating a perfect meal with the timing and flavors just right, all while avoiding getting a single splatter of sauce on that carefully selected outfit of yours? Shoot, maybe you’ll be so distracted you wind up cutting yourself or setting the kitchen ablaze. You don’t know.
Why do all that to yourself when you could just grab a reservation at a restaurant you both agree on? Have a good time and enjoy those butterflies in your stomach, and if things go well invite them back home for some privacy. If you really want to cook for them, save it for breakfast the next day. And if things don’t make it that far, well, at least you don’t have all those extra dishes to do while you wallow.
In my case, whatever the situation, I’ll be making sure we both agree on the restaurant (no Italian or French, please) and that they have a good wine and beer list. Dessert optional.
Love is a dangerous undertaking. There are risks at every turn, no matter what level you’re dealing with. Put your heart up on the chopping block all you want—just try to avoid the serial killers and let love do its thing.
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Thank you to A Morell for joining us this week!
I loved A Morell’s answer. I initially thought I would make something like a steak dinner with baked potatoes and vegetables, maybe a salad too. But what if they person doesn’t eat meat? That would make for a lousy first date. 🙁
I love that answer! And it has now made me rethink whether I would want to cook on a first date. But if I did, it would probably be pasta of some kind and I would bake something for dessert. Maybe cheesecake.
I remember reading an article (was it in DETAILS, years ago?) saying that a roast chicken is good because it’s easy to make an acceptable one (thus assuring your kitchen competence) but not a perfect one (thus showing your date your humanity and down-to-earth qualities). Mine is quite nice (I do a variation on the Zuni Cafe one with bread salad), so maybe I’d do that. If he’s vegetarian, I might try homemade pizza or something. I’d probably spend most of the effort on dessert; even though souffles are fun, I’d feel safer with a nice chocolate layer cake (or even brownies, if he’s really a homey type) , maybe with some homemade ice cream.
I would have to agree with A on this. A first date is already fraught with tension. Unless you find cooking to be a completely relaxing endeavor, you don’t want the pressure.
Some have mentioned vegetarianism/veganism, but what about food allergies? A trip to the emergency room (since the date is probably shy about mentioning problems) would not be an auspicious beginning to a relationship.
Since I live in Italy, it’s a sure thing to cook pasta. You just can’t go wrong, but on the other hand, it has to be something special because Italians eat pasta almost every day,
I agree with A’s reply and think it’s too much pressure to cook on a first date.