My husband and I would say we are not romantics.
I'm not saying we're not loving, we're both comfortable with PDA, but when it comes to candlelit dinners, rose petals, sappy songs and grand gestures of love, well we're both just so... practical.
In fact he never even proposed to me, we had been talking about it for so long and then, planning and everything just kind of fell into place.
We'll get engaged... well we should probably get a ring... then the questions about a date started; so we set a date and before long I'd managed to organise our wedding with no stress what so ever.
We did try writing our own vows but in the end just decided you know what our celebrant has provided us with a range of perfectly well written vows we'll just use those.
Sure it would be great to have some fabulous story to tell our children but that just wouldn't be us now would it.
Being the unromantic people we are, we have never really celebrated Valentines Day, it all seems a bit corny to us but last Valentines Day he surprised me with a Cruiser Bicycle.
While this was definitely a grand gesture, it wasn't so much the gift in itself it was that he had at some point heard me say that I would love a Vintage style Cruiser Bicycle.
Now I'm not one to tell people what I'd like for a gift, pretty much because I don't like asking for things and partly because I have a terrible memory... "Oh I don't know, I do know there was something I'd thought of, but I just can't remember". So the fact that he had remembered me saying that, was what made it the best gift he has ever given me, that and that he managed to surprise me, which is almost impossible to do.
Now the gift in itself is practical because now we can all go riding together as a family.
Generally we show our affections for each other in other less extravagant ways, to us it's the small everyday gestures that mean more.
Like a phone call... just because, little love notes on the kitchen bench, the others favourite chocolate bar left to find with tomorrows lunch, a cup of coffee in a favourite cup, a bottle of wine to share and a kiss every morning and every night regardless of whether the other is awake to know it or not.
One of my favourite things to do for him is bake. I love the look on his face when he sees that I have baked him a special treat, because I know that he knows I've put all that time and effort into baking that special treat just for him.
This is what I'll be baking for him this Valentines Day...
Mini Strawberry Shortcakes
Shortcake
2 cups of plain flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
125g butter, chopped
1 egg
2/3 cup cream
Filling
1 cup thickened cream, whipped
Strawberry jam
1 punnet of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/ 180*C for fan-forced. Lightly grease and flour a standard muffin pan.
2. Sift flour and baking powder into a processor. Add sugar and butter, process ingredients until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Transfer flour mixture into a large bowl. Whisk the egg and cream in a jug and add to flour mixture. Mix with a flat bladed knife until a soft dough forms.
3. Place heaped spoonfuls of dough into each muffin cup. Using your fingertips gently press evenly over the base of the muffin tin cups.
4. Bake for 10-12 mins or until golden. Cool in the pan for 5 mins. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
5. Using a serrated knife, cut shortcake in half crosswise. Spread bottom half with strawberry jam. Dollop on some whipped cream. Top with sliced strawberries and replace top of shortcake. Dust with icing sugar. Repeat for each mini shortcake.
Makes 12 shortcakes.
For an adult version of these, soak whole strawberries overnight in champagne or sparkling wine before slicing, and drizzle good quality melted dark chocolate over the assembled shortcake. Yummy.
As for celebrating Valentines Day...
well he started it with that Cruiser Bicycle...
I hope I get some vintage wicker baskets for my bike this year.
Happy Valentines Day
Love Jade xx
This recipe was adapted from taste.com.au
