Hearts and Flowers Dinner for Two

From Margaret's February, 1951, edition of Home Gardening Magazine:

HEARTS AND FLOWERS DINNER FOR TWO

Fancy for February and Valentine's Day... A Hearts and Flowers Dinner for two... the new bride and her groom! The table setting will look like one big Valentine... so get out your fanciest "wedding gift" china, your prettiest "trousseau" linens, arrange a fresh flower centerpiece, and add lighted candles. Now we have the frills... how about the food fun?

MENU

PINK GRAPEFRUIT APPETEASER             CITY CHICK             MILK GRAVY

FLUFFY RICE HEART WITH PIMIENTO ARROWS

TOSSED GREEN SALAD

LOVER'S KNOT ROLLS (packaged variety)

LEMON BUTTERED ASPARAGUS

CUPID'S HEART-Y STRAWBERRY BAVARIAN

DEMI-TASSE          MINTS

Start the meal off with this gay tangy appeteaser.  It'll click!

Pink Grapefruit Appeteaser

Cut pink grapefruit in half crosswise, remove core, and free meat from membrane by cutting around each section.  scallop edges of shells.  Now fill the center with canned green grapes, and garnish with maraschino cherry "hearts".

Now for City Chick... even a bride knows there isn't a smidgen of chicken in this "make-believe"--but that doesn't seem to affect its ever-growing popularity.  City Chick, bless it, is simply generous chunks of veal and pork placed alternately on a skewer to resemble a chicken drumstick.  No waste... all good eating!

City Chick

Have your butcher prepare city chick for you.  Allow two drumsticks for each serving--that'll mean four for your dinner for two.  Now roll each one in flour so that it is well-coated.  Melt 3 tablespoons of fat in a skillet, add the meat and season with salt and pepper.  Brown meat well, turning it so the browning is even.  When browned to suit your taste, add enough water to cover bottom of skillet.  Cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until tender, adding more water if necessary.  Remove the "chicken" and serve at once.

Milk Gravy

The good browned flour, meat juices and fat that are left in the skillet make wonderful gravy.  Blend 1 tablespoon flour with the juices and stir until smooth.  Place over low heat and gradually add 1 cup milk, stirring until gravy is smooth and thickened. If you like a thinner gravy, add a little more milk. Season with salt and pepper. Serve spooned in the center of a heart of fluffy rice, pierced with a pimiento arrow.

Cupid cuts a few capers in the "party-like" dessert, which is quite simple to prepare.

Cupid's Heart'y Strawberry Bavarian

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup hot water

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup crushed frozen strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream, whipped 

candy hearts

additional whole strawberries

Soften gelatin in cold water, dissolve in hot water. Chill until partially set. Beat until frothy. Add combined sugar, strawberries, and lemon juice; mix well. Fold in whipped cream. Chill in individual heart molds. Unmold at dessert time; garnish with additional berries, whipped cream "puffs" with a top-knot of candy hearts.

Au Revoir Til March

When A Southern Coffee Buffet ushers in the Spring Season!  Until then, remember, Hearts and Flowers are quite glamorous... but HEARTY food helps out a heap!

Erna Harris