My parents were in town for a long weekend and I wanted to surprise them with a Valentine dinner. We decided to keep the menu simple, but tasty: salad, mushroom risotto, asparagus, bread and heart shaped meringues. Rather than be stuck inside at our local grocery store, we knew Pike Place Market was the perfect and more festive place to procure the necessary ingredients.
Valentine dinner shopping List:
flowers
something sweet and heart shaped
mushrooms
arborio rice
asparagus
bread
mixed greens
vegetables for salad
pink/red colored beverage
Our first stop was to select some gorgeous tulips. Spring is definitely in the air with such wonderful color abounding.
Shopping with a view like this is better than fluorescent lights and narrow aisles.
Even the outdoors needed a little sprucing, so we picked up some white primroses for the front yard.
There is no shortage of inspiration or color at the market. Chocolate covered strawberries would be perfect or a chocolate cake with fresh raspberry sauce.
The pussy willows intrigued me, so we also took a bunch of these home with us.
is my favorite french bakery, where we picked up the heart shaped baguette and the pink heart shaped mini meringues.
We brought all our treasures home and got to work on setting the table. We have not found a new dining table, so we are still stuck with our way too small table for dinner guests.
I just love the intricacies of the parrot tulips.
My pussy willows enjoying their new home on the mantle.
I went to
, my favorite candy store/party supply place at University Village and picked up these tissue paper decorations. The best part about them is they store completely flat, which makes them ideal to hang onto all year long.
The sweet meringues from Le Panier.
All ready to celebrate.
