Friday Night Dates : 13

I'm inviting romance into my life
one Friday Night Date at a time
and documenting each one here on my little ol' blog.

I want to remember every detail
of these splendid home spun dates.

Date #13

This was such a fun date.
Years ago, when Roger and I were
first married, we came home late one night
from being out with friends
and turned the television on to AMC.

An amazing classic movie was on
that sucked us in.
I remember snuggling on the couch
watching Cary Grant torture Grace Kelly.
I fell asleep before it was over
and never found out who the jewel thief was.

It was romantic to watch the same film again...
years into our marriage and snuggled up,
just as we were so many years ago.

Here are the recipes...

Rosemary Gin Fizz

{Adapted from Food & Wine, December 2002}

Ingredients:
1/4 cup gin (I recommend either Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray to highlight the woodsy features of the gin. I don’t recommend Hendricks, which is my favorite gin, as it’s flavored with cucumbers and rose petals and will thus change the tasting notes of the drink.)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Rosemary Syrup (see below)
Ice cubes
Cold club soda
1 rosemary sprig and fresh red currants, for garnish

Preparation:
1. In a tall glass, stir the gin, lemon juice and Rosemary Syrup.
2. Fill the glass halfway with ice; top with club soda. Garnish with the rosemary and currants and serve.

Rosemary Syrup:
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
4 rosemary sprigs, rinsed

Preparation:
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the syrup and chill. (The syrup can be prepared and chilled for up to 1 week.)

Rosemary Cheese and Fig Preserves
{From Southern Living November 2002}

Ingredients

* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 (3-ounce) log goat cheese, softened
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
* 3/4 cup fig preserves
* Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs
* Crackers, toasted French bread slices, or bagel chips

Preparation

* Process first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
* Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 1 1/2-cup mold lined with plastic wrap. Cover and chill 2 hours.
* Invert chilled cheese mixture onto a serving dish; discard plastic wrap. Spoon fig preserves over cheese. Garnish, if desired. Serve with crackers, toasted French bread slices, or bagel chips.

What sort of fun did you have
with your sweetie over the weekend?