Dinner date

[freshnesschronic]

So I have a dinner date next Sunday. But it's at my apartment.

What should I, a fledgling college student, cook for her?

[ZenGum]

You're at Fledgling College? I was there!

No, wait a minute....



I don't know what you can cook. I have the following suggestions.

Check with the girl for preferences/hates/allergies/ethical convictions.
Avoid spagetti or noodles - having to slurp your food is undignified and can splatter your clothes.

Find a recipie that involves wine. (1) It tastes good. (2) it might make you look a bit sofist... suffis .... surfistikated. (3) It makes it quite natural to have a glass or two over the meal.

Choose a simple recipie - nothing too complex.

Practice the recipie a few days before, in case you bollocks it up.

Have FRESH ingredients that you buy on the day. It always tastes better.

Have chocolates on standby. Some nice after dinner mints.

Clean your appartment - I don't just mean tidy, but sweep, mop, vacuum, and especially AIR it out. But then scatter some "cute" untidyness - a few books on top the TV, a tie hung over the fridge door handle. Oh and maybe take down that poster of the six naked chicks in mutual bondage. Unless she's into that, of course, in which case the dinner menu is pretty much beside the point.

Good luck.

[Aliantha]

Hmmm...some of Zen's advice could be a little dubious if she already knows what your apartment is like, although I'm sure she'd appreciate the sentiment. Do girls really get into 'cute' untidyness? lol

Fresh, I'd recommend someting simple like salad with grilled fish or chicken. Generally for chicks you can't go wrong with that, especially if you're not so great in the kitchen. You can always dress the chicken up with some fancy store bought sauce if you want.

For desert, icecream and fresh fruit with a nice sweet sauce is another simple but tasty option.

For entre, try crusty bread with a simple dip of olive oil and balsamic with salt to dip in...or dukka if you can get it there.

Too easy, and hardly any time in the kitchen.

Oh, airing out the apartment was one of the tips you definitely should try.

[ZenGum]

The cute mess idea was that you don't want to look anal retentive.
Also you don't want to look like a slob who cleaned up just for her. You cleaned on Saturday morning like you always do, it's just a coincidence she came over that night.

Hmmm, am I too transparent?

The chicken or fish sound like good ideas. Something with a yummy sauce from a jar is a fairly safe bet.

[Aliantha]

Hmmm, am I too transparent?

Maybe just a tad.

[ZenGum]

Oh well. Diamonds are transparent too.

[ZenGum]

LOL - I just remembered something Sundae Girl once did.

Plonk a bottle of Bailey's Irish cream and a bottle of massage oil on the table as soon as she get there ... "Well, that's the evening's entertainment sorted out..."

Errrmmmmm.... it might work when a girl does it. The phrase "crash and burn" springs to mind.

[Aliantha]

Well a bottle of baileys is just about every girls best friend isn't it?

The only problem with that is that fresh is underage isn't he? Likely his date is too.

[regular.joe]

Dude, the chicks point of view is great. Me, I'd order out from a nice place. You know, something like http://www.chefanthonysatlanta.com/ if you have something like it in your area. I wouldn't be ashamed to admit where it came from either. My skill level is self explanatory . The company is more important the who made the dinner, at least that's how I'd justify that.

[Sundae]

I'd suggest making a one pot meal so that you don't have to attend to anything other than her once she arrives. There's nothing more sexy than watching a man who knows what he's doing in the kitchen, but you are honest that you don't, so I'd bring the chance for mistakes down as low as possible.

Cook a long slow chilli, or chicken in sauce, or sausage casserole or some such. You can sweat over the recipe all afternoon (packet and jar sauces are also handy!) and just put back on the heat ofr 5 minutes when you're ready to eat. Serve with rustic bread and a simple side salad - a bag of leaves if you like - and you'll come across as relaxed around food.

Zen I'm flattered that you remember that story! But that's Flint's date's job anyway - his is to provide the food.

Ali I thought you meant Fresh was underage for sexy games! I had to go back and reread it before I remembered American licencing laws.

Oh Fresh - airing out the room is great advice. But find a couple of good scented candles if you can afford the outlay. One vanilla, one chocolate. Or if you can get them, half a dozen scented tealights (they'll be cheaper). A straw poll suggests that there's nothing like candlelight to make a girl feel secure about her appearance, and the subtle scent of a sweetshop to make her feel at home.

[DucksNuts]

Agreed...scented candles on some description, and a pre prepared meal that you can just reheat.

The bread n dip is a great starter.

[DanaC]

The cute mess idea was that you don't want to look anal retentive.
Also you don't want to look like a slob who cleaned up just for her. You cleaned on Saturday morning like you always do, it's just a coincidence she came over that night.

Hmmm, am I too transparent?

I have exactly the same approach whenever I have guests coming over.

[ZenGum]

The pre-cook and re-heat idea is good, but be careful not to give yourselves food poisoning! When you re-heat get it well over boiling point for several minutes at least.

[Griff]

I'm going to disagree. Make something for her. Practice if you need to, but just be sure you have everything you need to accomplish it. Most girls appreciate it when you go out on a limb for them and you'll learn something valuable. Recipes are for people who can't cook, so use a recipe.

[Shawnee123]

Cheesy Chicken and Rice casserole. Recipe right on the can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup. It's easy, but looks fabulous when done...I suggest a little red seasoning such as cajun on the chicken.