Valentine’s Day: 8 Heartwarming Stories From Readers’ Kitchens

Valentine’s Day Stories

It’s the season of love! Food always has a special place in our hearts, whether it’s cooking for a special someone or enjoying a meal together with loved ones. 

 

This Valentine’s Day, we asked our readers to share their most memorable moments  — here are 8 heartwarming stories that will make you say aww:

 

1. “My partner and I recreated the scene from Ratatouille!” — Anonymous

 

“When my partner and I reenacted the scene in the movie Ratatouille where the rat was controlling the guy to cook because we were recreating the dish Ratatouille. He had me sit on his shoulders with him standing while I pulled his hair to control what he does or where he goes. Don’t worry, I didn’t fall off, but I definitely fell hard for him.” 

 

We did a double-take at this cute and goofy story! If there’s anything we’ve learnt, it’s that 1) they have really high ceilings, and 2) French recipes are in high demand!

 

2. “I decided to surprise him and he LOVED it.” — Anonymous

 

“Since my [significant other] then was the chef in our relationship (to be fair my cooking skills wasn’t as great as his), one day I decided to surprise him by baking his favourite dessert — Sticky Date Pudding. I was really nervous at first because I’ve never cooked or baked for anyone other than my family. Turns out he LOVED it. His family loved it too. And so I started learning how to bake because of that very moment.”

 

Who can resist a Sticky Date Pudding, especially when specially made for you? We ourselves have a Honey Goji Sticky Date Pudding recipe that we simply adore — do it yourself here

 

3. “When I eat it, I am reminded of my mum and her sacrifice to our family” — Sylvia

 

“My mum used to make pork ribs bee hoon for me during my childhood. She stopped cooking for the family when she had to go back to work. It is also a dish that I haven’t seen being done outside before, so it’s not like I can easily go to get it.” 

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“It is something I miss so much that I learnt how to cook it a few years ago and will make it for myself. When I eat it, I am reminded of my mum and her sacrifice to our family”. 

 

The bittersweet sense of satisfaction and nostalgia when your food tastes like mum’s is something that is impossible to recreate. This story reminds us of our own family’s signature dishes — things like pig trotter bee hoon, braised beef brisket and ABC soup.

 

4. “They became my favourite when I saw the love in my partner’s eyes while cooking” — Anonymous

 

“It was a really simple Aglio Olio with garlic, chilli padi, capsicums and steak. They became my favourite when I saw the love in my [significant other’s] eyes while cooking. So much love went into the cooking. No other Aglio Olio I’ve tried has ever matched that standard.”

Whether it’s simple fusion pastas or a truffle carbonara, indeed the most memorable dishes are those made with love. 

 

5.  “We saw a thick, long python in the kitchen!” — Anonymous

 

“After dinner, wine and conversation under the stars, we finally brought our crockery and cutlery back to the kitchen to wash up. Imagine our shock when we saw a long think python wrapped around the window panels by the sink! His dogs who were walking in with us went crazy and started barking.”

 

“The next morning, no python in the kitchen so it must have slithered away in the night. Called pest control to check the premises and phew… No sight of it and no repeat sighting of the python again.”

 

Our guess is that the python wanted to join in on the dinner date. Unfortunately, not many have gone on dates with snakes and lived to tell the tale.  

 

6.  “An ideal date night? Takeaway Sushi and Soju” — Anonymous

 

“An impromptu night out – eating takeaway Sushi and drinking Soju at places nobody would think of bringing their dates to in SG (rooftops, bridges, etc). I think chill, adventurous dates are more fun than sitting in a restaurant with a room full of people. It’s more intimate and private and you get to enjoy each other’s company better.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExhKhRtx1LE 

 

Restaurants and fine dining are great, but as this reader has shared, romance can definitely be found anywhere! On your next adventurous date, try picnics or DIY bento boxes for the occasion. 

 

7.  A childhood memory and feeling — Anonymous

 

“When my mum and brother made dumplings together, when we were little. It was one of our first times being allowed to help out in the kitchen, so it’s really memorable. Afterwards, we got to enjoy the fruits of our labour together, and I felt really proud of myself that I had contributed to dinner that night.”

 

Our best times with family can come from time spent cooking, just like this reader has. Recipes like Pork and chive dumplings are a great way to get all hands in the kitchen and make memories that’ll last. 

 

8. “I was super touched by their care and effort” — Anonymous

 

“I was really sick and had no energy to get out of bed. My [significant other] rushed over to cook me minced meat porridge and basically made sure I was fed the entire day. I was super touched by their care and effort”

 

Food and acts of service form the ultimate love language! It’s a great reminder to save sick day recipes like century egg congee or Teochew fish porridge that’ll come in handy when your loved one needs a pick-me-up.

 

Heartwarming stories

This Valentine’s Day, take time to appreciate your loved ones, be it a family member or a significant other. Why not cook a meal with them, or for them, to form memories that will last a lifetime? 

 

If you’ve got a story or recipe to share, let us know in our Meatmen FB Cooking Community — we’d love to hear from you. 

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More of what you might like: 

P.S. We’ve got recipes for all your Singaporean and Asian favourites on our Youtube channel. Subscribe and share with your friends!

P.P.S. Can’t find a recipe you like? Drop us a comment or ping us on our socials. 

 

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