By María Victoria Gómez, Corporate Romance Manager

 

With Valentine’s Day coming up there are plenty of great ways for couples to celebrate- some are very inexpensive, some are a little more luxurious and of course there is always the option to surprise them with a romantic trip to Paradisus! 

 

As Paradisus’ Romance Manager guests look to me for advice on how to spice up their time at one of our four beautiful resorts. 

 

Below are a selection of my favorite suggestions; perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays or any special day:

• Surprise your Valentine with a night of dinner and dancing at home followed by breakfast in bed the next day 
• Give your sweetie a turn down service at home (Paradisus style) with special chocolates, new pajamas and a deep shoulder massage 
• Surprise them with a limousine ride for a night out on the town.  The two of you can cuddle in the back and bring a special nostalgic beverage for the occasion.  
• Take them on a ‘home getaway’ to a favorite city or dream vacation spot you have always wanted to visit together.  This takes a little research, but the right recipes, music, decorations and even costumes can really bring a different culture to life.  
• Pack a picnic and find a hiking trail in your area. Enjoy the exercise and nature together, while you spend alone time removed from the chaos of everyday life. 
• Collect items from a special trip together (honeymoon or just a great weekend getaway) and surprise your sweetie with a scrapbook.  Include postcards, restaurant menus, hotel brochures and area maps to create a unique gift.  Definitely include photos and write any special quotes or memories right in the book.
• Retreat from the bright city lights to gaze at the stars. Even without knowing all the constellations, setting up blankets and bringing a bottle of champagne can set a romantic mood, while looking at one of nature’s most beautiful exhibits. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a shooting star to make a wish upon.
• Check local calendars to find art gallery openings or special events at local museums.  Enjoying artistic events and learning together is a great bonding experience.
• Cook dinner together for each other.  One person is in charge of the entrée, and the other is in charge of dessert.  This allows you to work with your sweetie in the kitchen and enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor together!  Another great option is to take a cooking class together; many specialize in International food, desserts or cooking with wine- all fun activities to enjoy together.

 

 

Below is a special romantic menu inclusive of the recipes, from our Executive Chef at Paradisus Palma Real, Freddy Chi.  You can cook it with your sweetheart, or surprise them and cook it for them!    

 

Cherry Chilled Gazpacho

Ingredients:

7 oz Fresh Cherries

250 ml Tomato Juice

1/4 Cucumber  

2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

1/2 Celery Stick

1/4 Small Onion

Salt to taste

4 Slices of White Bread

 

Preparation:

Blend all the ingredients. Chill.

Place croutons on top and serve.   

 

Filet Mignon with Passion Fruit Sauce
Shrimp Medallion with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Filet Mignons 3,.88 oz each

3 Pcs of Shrimp 

3 Pcs of Bacon

Pinch of Rosemary

Pinch of Thyme

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 Onion, chopped  

1 Celery stick

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

100ml Truffle Oil 

100ml Chicken Broth

80ml Cream

 

Preparation:

Marinate the fillet for 10 minutes and pan-fry or grill until desired temperature. Marinate the shrimp and roll it in the bacon, pan-fry each side for 3 minutes and then put in the oven at 302ºF for about 5 minutes.  Dissolve the demiglaze with hot water or beef stock, then add the truffle.  Chop the onion, celery and garlic and saute with thyme and rosemary until brown, add chicken broth, boil for a few minutes and put the cream, salt and pepper to taste and blend.

 

Apple filled with Passion Fruit Mousse

Ingredients:

2 Red Apples

6 Pcs of Passion Fruit

14.11oz of Passion Fruit Purée

1 Cup of Sugar

10.58oz of Whipped Cream 

 

Preparation:

Puree the passion fruit in a blender until smooth, set aside. Whip the cream and sugar together. Mix in the passion fruit puree. Cut the apple in half, remove the inside and fill the apple with the passion fruit mousse.

 

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

7 oz Strawberries

3.53 oz Sugar

 

Preparation:

Boil strawberries in two cups of water for 10 min and then mix in sugar. Add a dollop of the sauce to the top of each apple.   

 

 

Enjoy.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 11:46 am and is filed under romance by paradisus. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.