Charcuterie boards to cake bouquets: Home chefs are busy plating romance this V-Day

Written By: Yashaswi KocharDid you know?8-10 orders are handled by home chefs on V-DayWhile extravagant displays of love are expected in and around Valentine's Week, this year, couples are going the extra mile to keep it intimate and oh-so-personal.

“Many couples this year are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home or on a farm – away from the crowd.

They wish to create a cosy and warm candlelight dinner to celebrate the day with food and love,” says Rikin, an Ahmedabad-based home chef, who is busy whipping up delicacies ahead of the festival of love. The concept of “shared experiences” has trickled down into the food. Adds Rikin, “The dishes we serve are filling yet not heavy on the stomach or the pocket.”

Another home chef Vaishali says, “This year, we’ve received orders for cheese buns, bhakhri pizza, lila lasan nu kachu, vegetable kapuriya, dumplings, and assorted samosas – aloo mutter, cheese corn, dal, and spring rolls. For desserts – lachko (semi-liquid texture), and mohanthal with vanilla ice cream and strawberries and cream.”The home chefs add, “We have been booked to run a live counter as well. Besides that, our sales remain almost the same as last year, but the prices have gone up.

As for the dishes, we have brought back strawberries and cream due to popular demand.”Heart-shaped food continues to ruleBe it cakes, cookies or brownies, when served in the shape of a heart (in popular culture), it takes the celebrations up a notch. Shares Twinkle Gupta, another home baker, “This time, our V-Day spread includes chocolate chip butter cake with a chocolate fudge dip, the trending cake bouquet, signature brownies topped with fresh strawberries, and bento cakes with love messages for your partner.”Besides real flowers – which are non-negotiable for Valentine’s – cake bouquet is quite the trend this year, home chefs tell us. Be it in a traditional cake, a hamper or a cake bouquet, people are leaning towards aesthetics but on a budget. Heena Raval, a home baker, says, “Hampers are not much in demand this year as people are leaning more towards celebrations focussing on their health. So, cute bento cakes (300 gm) are in vogue, and will continue to trend for a long time.

”Festivities and boards go hand in handCharcuterie boards and cheeseboards have been around for a while, making their presence felt across festivities. Experts reveal that the concept of boards is gradually taking off around Valentine’s Day too. Ganga Pohekar, a charcuterie expert from Mumbai, says, “We receive a lot of last-minute orders. I have seen an inclination towards Galentine parties, where people love having cheeseboards featuring a whole lot of seasonal fruits.

” She adds, “Health-conscious millennial women are now decking up their tables with fresh salads, rice paper rolls filled with raw vegetables, and charcuterie boards with more probiotic-laden gherkins, olives, and pickled vegetables.” “I’m seeing a bigger vegetarian and clean-eating trend among the new generation. I’ve had a young couple who wanted their platter to be protein-rich produce,” says Ganga Pohekar, a charcuterie expert.Trending this V-Day Charcuterie boards and cheese boardsTrendy cake bouquetLachko (semi-liquid texture) and mohanthal with vanilla ice creamStrawberry and creamDumplingsAssorted samosas