If you’re the kind of person who likes making your own sauces and dressings, if you artfully weave fresh herbs into your homemade dishes, and you’re keen to pioneer new spices and cuts of meat, the following compliments have most likely been thrown your way over an elevated Saturday dinner: “Babe, this is amazing!”, “I’m speechless”, “You should open your own restaurant!” Want to keep the praise coming? We’ve got recipe ideas that are fit for the world’s finest restaurants, but before we go on this culinary journey together, we’d like to take a moment to talk a little positive psychology, specifically the many benefits of complimenting your partner.
A key indicator of affection
Do you know the five ways to show your person that you care? Many couples’ therapists stand behind the following five “love languages”: quality time (like a forest walk or romantic Netflix night in), receiving gifts (store bought and homemade), acts of service, physical touch (hugs, kisses, massages, etc.) and words of affirmation. “Compliments usually make people happy, so don’t hold back when it comes to praise,” Dr. Véronique Ménard* instructs us. “For more emotional oomph, try complimenting your better half with words that point to their inner qualities,” she specifies. So, praise your partner for their sterling personality, legendary patience, or their remarkable attention to detail…in the kitchen, for instance!
Another way to harness positive psychology and pay better tribute to your lovey: connect your compliment to a feeling. “Of course, tell them how fabulous they are, but also let them know how they’re stunning and just how you feel blessed to be by their side. That’ll take your compliment to the next level,” shares Dr. Ménard. The most important thing is to be authentic and speak from the heart!
*Follow Dr. Véronique Ménard on Instagram and Tiktok, where she shares tons of awesome practical advice!”
For a tomahawk steak straight out of a Texas steakhouse
In steakhouses all over, tomahawk steaks are in high demand: first, because they look cool, and then of course due to their fantastic flavour (thanks bone!) and tender/juicy mouthfeel. When you’re at home, sear, pop in the oven for 20 minutes, and top off with a pat of Dijon mustard butter, parsley, rosemary, and hot peppers. Here’s a bit of recipe inspiration. Simple and impressive!
Then there’s the famous hamburger and its many iterations: ground beef burgers with garlic roasted portobello, bison burgers with chevre and sugary-sweet blueberries, plus lamb burgers with lime mayo and Jamaican spices.
We’d be remiss to omit filet mignon, the famously mastication-friendly meat. Savour it with a red wine, soy sauce, and ginger jus (don’t forget the melted cheese at the end) or make it into steak tiles, a.k.a. thinly sliced and curved strips of steak served on parmesan flakes, topped with onion and cranberry confit. An out-of-this-world culinary experience!
Try these offerings from Compliments
A beet salad that would make a French bistro blush
As a starter or a main, beet salad keeps us coming back with its earthy flavours, toppings that crunch, and touch of tartness. In this beet salad recipe, we add toppings like arugula, red onion, and pancetta to make the colours of the beet carpaccio below really pop. In this version, you’ll find blood orange and its zest, maple syrup, fresh basil, and Tabasco sauce. A real showstopper!
Hors d’oeuvres are also part of the French culinary cannon, which we’ve been appreciating on this side of the pond for a long, long time. Wow your evening guests with lobster and apple bites, crab-stuffed avocado half-shells, oysters Rockefeller, and these foie gras canapés.
And now for some pièce de résistance ideas to heat up your evening in: pan-seared fish, or winey-creamy sauce-based dishes featuring rabbit ( mustard and herbs) and quail (like this one with honey and tarragon).
To finish on a sweet note, slip your guests a slice of tarte tatin (so easy to make you have to try it), black forest chocolate mousse served in a glass, or some sugar cream and whipped cream topped millefeuille.
Try these offerings from Compliments
Asian, Indian, Italian, and Mexican please!
Let’s not overlook the fine flavours that you can find in those neighbourhood holes-in-the-wall, food markets, and food trucks! For the homemade versions, you can make this meal-sized Asian beef and coriander soup recipe, super aromatic Indian butter chicken, an Italian-style artichoke and prosciutto pizza, mini BBQ turkey calzones, and this meatless and carbon-footprint-reducing impossible taco salad.
Try these offerings from Compliments
Elegant vibes only
For an elegant and cozy atmosphere, you’ll want to lean into warm white lighting, like candlelight or 1800-2700 kelvin light bulbs with their calming, orangish glow. Steer clear of cold white lighting (3000 kelvin and higher, which will make you feel like you’re dining at the office). Dim if you can. If you can’t, switch your above table lighting off and put up some string lights along nearby walls or windows. Guaranteed magic.