Bite-sized Love ✓

Day 6: Favorite Meal

Task: Write a love story that features your favorite meal in some way.

Word count: 500 words

Day 6: March 05, 2024

***
Gratin Dauphinoise

This was our third date and I was really excited about it, since it would be the first time he would come visit me.

On our second date, we had talked about our passions ...and food had come up farely quickly. His eyes had sparkled like the starry night sky when he talked about his favorite dish: Gratin Dauphinoise - meaning sliced potatoes baked in cream and cheese.

I had found his reaction so cute, I couldn't help myself and proposed for the next meet-up a potato-gratin-session at my place.

Damn it!

Not only had I invited him to my place, but also had I never before in my life eaten, let alone baken a Gratin Dauphinoise.

Double damn it!

Here I was, three days later, on a Saturday morning with my shopping list in hand in the next-by supermarket. I skimmed the ingredients on my list I had googled the previous evening:

- floury potatoes (1 kg)
- double cream (400 ml)
- butter (250 mg)
- cheese (e.g., emmental)
- herbs (garlic, thyme, salt, pepper)

We had texted back and forth, and he decided to bring cheese and cream to split the costs. I appreciated that - I seemed to have made a good judge of character and invited a nice person.

With purposeful strides, did I get on with my mission.

***
The doorbell rang right on time. I counted to three, then I opened the door with sweaty hands.

On the other side, Théo greeted me with a blinding smile. It calmed my nerves a bit.

"Hey, it's great to see you again," I said shyly. He reciprocated: "Thank you for inviting me over. You look great, by the way. I love the chill cooking vibe."

His eyes lingered on my baby blue apron. I blushed. "Thank you! You look handsome yourself." He did look amazing, but it was his twinkling eyes that had my entire attention. "Please, do come in."

In the kitchen he took the cheese out of his bag. "You know", he said softly, "I'm really happy we are doing this today. It brings back many good childhood memories. I got this cheese at the market, and it reminded me of my grandparents, who I visited on the weekends. They always made Gratin Dauphinoise for me. It is a classic French meal, and they often told me stories about their past at the French countryside where they made the cheese themselves. This also started my passion for sustainablity - as I study it now. So thank you for this attentive invitation. "

I listened closely, and his appreciation put a smile on my lips. "I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing."

And as we started to distribute the work with smiles and good vibes in making the Gratin on that day; did we continue to implement that in our lives together ever since.

***
Word count: 484