Matt Preston‘s commandments of Valentine’s Day

Hopeless romantic Matt Preston reveals his 10 commandments for making the perfect Valentine’s Day.

Read this before you pick up those supermarket roses.

1. Thou shalt not make it feel like your plans were made at the last minute. Or that you only do or say romantic things once a year.

2. Thou shalt remember that there is delight in the unexpected. So pack a candelabra, a tablecloth and a flower in a vase (picked from your neighbour’s garden if need be), and take your partner down to your local favourite pizza joint or fish & chipper for an impromptu romantic meal.

Matt Preston has some advice for Valentine’s Day. Picture: Sam Tabone/Getty Images

3. Thou should never underestimate the power of rose petals. Or the simple act (if you’re a male cliche) of taking the day off work to clean the house, fold the washing, mow the lawn, change the sheets, tidy the bedroom, put out the bins or any other chore you usually shirk on. And you can do all this while cooking your partner’s favourite dinner. If you don’t know what that is, take a good long hard look at yourself… and then find out. If any of the above chores are new to you, pick up the mirror again, and vow to change.

4. Thou shalt picnic with your partner. But only if you take a rug, loads of cushions and some bug spray. To eat, pack stuff you can eat with your fingers. Make it the kind of food they like, whether that’s garnished hummus with potato chips or pigs in blankets. Small and pretty is good. As is a cocktail. I’d go with an elderflower spritz or blushing pink grapefruit paloma made with mezcal rather than the usual tequila. Don’t forget to chill it well, and pack extra ice and lime wedges to garnish.

5. Thou shalt hire a row boat and have your picnic in it. Floating along by leafy green banks is very calming.

Pack stuff you can eat with your fingers.

6. Thou shalt take a bucket of prawns to a pier or jetty that’s free of fishermen (all those guts, scales and dead fish flopping around can kill the mood somewhat) at sunset. Don’t forget to take wipes, a spare plastic bag for the prawn shells, some fresh lemon and something tasty to dip your prawns in. A homemade gochujang mayo is nice with some meaty endeavours or large tigers, but for lighter prawns like Victorian Lakes Entrance, I feel a herbed mayo is better. Drink the best bubbles you can afford. Or beer, if that’s what they like best.

Never go to a fancy restaurant on Valentine’s Day.

7. Thou shalt always take proper glass glasses for drinking that chilled pinot gris or Champagne. But wrap them carefully if you’re taking them to a pier or on a rowboat.

Related news: Matt Preston’s guide to winning hearts and stomachs this V-Day

Enjoy the giving.

8. Thou shalt never go to a fancy restaurant on Valentine’s Day – they will be crammed full of couples and people proposing. This can be awkward if you are not. You probably can’t get a reservation at this late stage anyway. If you do ignore this advice, remember that the invitee should pay, and it’s always about who you’re eating with rather than the meal itself.

9. If thou must giveth flowers, giveth a plant, not a bunch. A rose bush suggests permanence and growing together, whereas a bunch of cut roses will wilt and die. The yellow rose I gave the woman I love one Valentine’s Day is still flowering, 20 years on.

There’s nothing wrong with a cliche.

10. Thou shalt remember that there’s nothing wrong with a cliche. A walk on a deserted beach, an open fire and some marshmallows to toast is the ultimate romantic date. And it’s all the better if you bring along a thermos of hot chocolate (perhaps spiked with Cointreau, Frangelico or Tia Maria) as this shows admirable foresight. As does taking a rug.

One extra commandment for good measure: thou shalt click here to see our list of 64 recipes perfect for your romantic date.

Related recipes: 45 impressive yet foolproof Valentine’s Day recipes

For more food, travel and lifestyle news, go to delicious.com.au

Originally published as Matt Preston‘s commandments of Valentine’s Day