Be My Valentine!

Yes, in 11 days people from all over the world will be scrambling to shower loved ones with greeting cards, chocolates, flowers, candy, dinner, presents and some will choose this day to get engaged or be married.

Valentine greetings have been popular since the Middle Ages, a time when prospective lovers said or sang their romantic verses. Written valentines began to appear in the 1500’s but it took the enterprise of an American to make money at it. Esther A. Holland produced one of the first American commercial Valentines in the 1840’s. Her cards were elaborate creations made with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures. She sold $5,000 worth in the first year! According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

There are many stories as to how Valentine’s day came into being however, the origins seem more firmly rooted in pagan celebrations of the beginning of spring than in the history of its martyred namesakes.

If you are planning to make a special dinner, check out Natalie MacLean’s website for tips on what wine to serve with your meal. Natalie also shares her top 10 wine and chocolate matches. Click here for her food and wine matcher website. Natalie MacLean is a Canadian and an accredited sommelier. She has also won numerous awards for her journalistic talent and has won four James Beard Journalism awards.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I enjoy the thought process that goes into the making of a special dinner and the 14th will be no exception. The only problem is that my husband is usually away on business trips during the week so our special dinners are usually on the weekends. Happy Valentine’s day everyone!