Love and Chocolate

It didn't take long before I discovered that one of my then-boyfriend, now-husband, Joe's favorite foods were almonds. He ate them by the handful.

"I love almonds too," I thought. One more similarity that proved we were meant for each other.

"And what's your favorite dessert?" I asked that first Valentine's Day we were together.

"Almond and chocolate soufflé!" he said.

Enthusiastically, I said "Great!" even though I didn't have a recipe. But hey, I thought, "I'm a chef who had written several cookbooks, so I'm sure I can come up with one". After all, it was Valentine's Day, and you're supposed to go all out for the one you love.

I've always loved this holiday and my family had a tradition of celebrating it. My mother always gave us kids a little gift, like candy hearts with words like "kiss me" and "forever" or a potted cutting from her favorite ivy. These presents were just one of the many ways that mom made us feel loved, and there's something about having a day devoted to celebrating it.

So with that in mind, here's my recipe, and I hope that you'll enjoy it with someone special:

Little Chocolate Almond Soufflés with Cocoa-Nib Cream

XOX

P.S. I forgot to mention— on that first Valentine’s Day together, Joe ate three of these little soufflés!