Thursday, February 14, 2008

An Invitation... and Chocolate Sauce

And the Valentine's dinner invitation sweetly came. "What time?" I asked.

"How about 6 o'clock and we'll see the remains of the sunset," was the answer.

I know I'm not cooking tonight, but I feel foolish showing up with only bread. Cheesecake was mentioned, and I see no point wasting a good dessert with some ridiculous fruit topping. (My aversion to fruit precedes me.) So I'm making Fudge Sauce. May I? I'll bring a chipped white pitcher of it and we can pour and pool it over slices of cold cake and then lick our forks and fingers until the silky sauce is just a memory....

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SAUCE

2/3 cup heavy cream
¼ cup espresso
6 oz. good quality semisweet chocolate

Gently warm cream and espresso over double boiler or low heat. Melt in chocolate, swirling until smooth and velvety. Add a teeny splash of vanilla if you wish. Wonderful with fruit, cake, ice cream or a lonely spoon. Serves two.

Hoping a love, however simple and in whatever form, finds and holds you this Valentine's Day. -Brin

(Friday Note to G.: The veal meatballs were superb, but the sunset champagne tasting will be lodged in my memory forever. Thank you for such a sweet evening.)