The Baynhams

Since the kids were born it has been difficult to get out to a restaurant to celebrate Valentines Day and other special events so we have got into the habit of having a really nice meal after the kids have gone to bed. Nice table settings, candles, napkins, glass of wine etc. trying to create the feeling of a restaurant at home. I assumed we would do the same thing this year for Valentines day.

Enter Facebook. Love it or hate it, it gives an insight into how other people spend their time. My cousin Brian had posted a photo of his romantic Valentines meal. It was similar to what I do... kitchen table laid nicely for an evening meal. But it was the following photos that caught my eye. There, around the table, were photos of his smiling wife, and his two boys. His family had sat down together a few days early because he was going to be away with work on the actual day.

As I wandered around the supermarket filling a basket with nice things to cook I hesitated with a tray of two nice fillet steaks in my hand. There next to the trays of two steaks were bigger trays with five. I decided to follow Brian's lead and to have a romantic meal for five! The kids were quite surprised when they realised that they were going to get to stay up and join in. We set the table with the best plates and started with Oysters Kilpatrick and moved on to wasabi mash, fillet steak cooked medium rare, and asparagus on the side. For dessert we had some of our meringue hearts with strawberries and mini magnums! The kids loved it. They behaved really well and enjoyed the feeling of different courses being served by the maître d’ (Me!)

We talked about my cousin. I explained that it was because of him that I was including them in the fancy meal. They instantly decided that they liked him and raised a toast to him and his family!