Valentine’s Day Menu: Provencal-inspired Recipes for your Sweetheart

The team at Mirabeau Wine in Cotignac certainly know a thing or two about gold medal wine and how to pair it with good food. Before the Christmas holidays and not long after the 2017 grape harvest, we asked Jeany Cronk if she would curate a special Valentine’s Day menu to celebrate the flavours of Provence. Without a doubt, Jeany turns out some delicious meals for family and friends from the “Mirabeau kitchen,” but we never expected her to share three (3) new Provencal recipes to celebrate this evening of romance.

It’s not every person who has the fortitude to pursue their passion and convince their family to follow the dream – read about the Mirabeau Wine backstory here. In 2009, the Cronk family did just that tossing aside their life in London they relocated to Cotignac, a village in Provence’s Var, and started a wine brand and now offer a range of Mirabeau wine.

This February 14th celebrate life and happiness with your sweetheart, your family or your best friends and enjoy Jeany’s menu!

Wouldn’t we all love to spend Valentine’s Day in Provence, snuggled up by the fire, listening to the mistral and sharing a few glasses of Provence Rosés, especially because pinks are quite romantic and will remind you of the happiness of last summer.  Well, this menu aims to get you as close as possible to a romantic Riviera break and a good bottle of Rosé, preferably ours :-), would be a suitably dreamy choice to get your evening à deux off to a very smooth start.

There are lots of considerations for food on Valentine’s Day- nothing too spicy, smelly or heavy, after all, you don’t want to feel like a beached whale, but still something luscious and out of the ordinary to make your beloved feel special. I have opted for a bit of the earth and the sea, a bit of forest and fowl and then a creamy coconut and summer berry finalé to end on a real high. All of it eminently achievable in terms of basic cookery skill level and the inevitable shortness of time.

Starter: Beetroot Carpaccio with Smoked Salmon and Pomegranates

Main Course: Mushroom and Provençal Herb Stuffed Chicken Breast with Polenta and Potato purée

Dessert: Coconut Eton Mess with Raspberries and Chocolate Shavings

We really hope you enjoyed this menu on your romantic evening, but you can, of course, make all of these dishes for many other occasions too.

With love from Provence,

Jeany

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).