It’s Valentine’s Day, and here in Woodinville my neighbors and I have been snowed in nearly a week due to unplowed roads, two feet of snow in our cul-de-sac, and frozen driveways that take too many hours to shovel out.
I’ve invited my next door neighbor over to share some wine and cookies with me this afternoon. Later today, she’s cooking a special dinner for her husband and I’m making fondue for my boyfriend (who hopefully can chain up his car and get here to join me for dinner!)
We’ve lit a bonfire to keep us warm while we enjoy our wine and cookies, all the while watching my flat-coated retriever dogs romp in the snow.
I’m so grateful to have a neighbor who is both a “good neighbor” (helpful, considerate, checks on me) but also a good friend, sharing life’s celebrations and festivities.
Yesterday we put on our heavy coats, snow boots, gloves, mittens and hats to walk out of our snowy cul-de-sac to a main plowed road. We were so grateful for the Uber driver who ferried us to Bella Bottega for lunch at Racha Thai and grocery shopping at QFC. That’s where I picked up this bottle of Warr-King Riesling and the Valentine’s sugar cookies.
Another Uber driver gave us a ride home, cheerfully helping us load our grocery sacks into his trunk. We struggled to carry our heavy groceries from the plowed road into our icy cul-de-sac!
We are tired of sitting in our stuffy houses, so I set up a cheerful table outdoors and pulled out my pink Depression glass goblets and my antique Faberge “Rose Trellis” dessert plates to make things pretty.
I normally would serve a pink Rosé wine on Valentine’s Day but I happen to know my neighbor loves Rieslings. I didn’t have any in the house, so I was glad to see a bottle of local Woodinville Riesling from Warr-King Wines.
By the way, Warr-King Wines has a female winemaker! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Lisa Warr-King Packer at Sisters of the Vinifera Revolution events. I hope to be able to say a quick hi to her at the upcoming Northwest Women Stars of Food and Wine event in March.
What wine will you be serving at your Valentine’s Day dinner, if you’re cooking at home? Are you braving the snowy roads to go out to dinner? Let me know in the comments section below!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
-Carrie
