A Quintessential Valentine Dinner
Here's Valentine's Day wrapped in Southern history.
I would be thrilled to go out for dinner any night of the year, except New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. There is too much pressure, and the flowers are overpriced along with the menus in my favorite restaurants. And then there is the pressure of eating fast so they can fill the table twice in one night. Oh my! A leisurely dinner at home in front of a crackling fire always suited me the best.
If you’re planning to celebrate at home this year, I have two dishes that never fail to make an ordinary evening feel like something worth lingering over. Both recipes were shared with me years ago by my dear friend — the lovely Savannah caterer extraordinaire — Susan Mason, a woman who understands that food is never just food in the South. It’s memory, generosity, and a little bit of magic passed from one kitchen to another.
The first is a pork tenderloin that tastes as if it belongs on a candlelit table — sweet, tangy, and just indulgent enough to feel special without keeping you tied to the stove all night.
Cherry Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Serves six
A glossy cherry-balsamic marinade pulls double duty here — it flavors the meat while it cooks and becomes the finishing sauce that makes everyone reach for one more slice.
Ingredients
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb each)
1½ cups cherries, halved and pitted (fresh or thawed frozen)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves
Preparation
Blend: Puree all ingredients except the pork until smooth, about 45 seconds.
Reserve: Set aside ½ cup for basting and another ½ cup to serve as sauce.
Marinate: Place pork with remaining marinade in a resealable bag. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 48 hours refrigerated.
Cook: Grill over medium-high heat 12–15 minutes, turning every 4–5 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140–145°F.
Rest & Serve: Let rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. Spoon reserved sauce over top and garnish with fresh cherries.
After dinner, of course, there must be cake — and if there’s one dessert that feels like Valentine’s Day wrapped in Southern history, it’s red velvet.
A Little Cake Lore
The legend most folks know traces back to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York during the 1930s. Supposedly, a guest loved the cake so much she requested the recipe — only to receive a hefty bill afterward. In revenge, she shared it far and wide, turning the recipe into a kind of culinary folklore.
Food historians, though, tell a quieter story. Long before bright red dye became the norm, “velvet cakes” were prized for their fine crumb. A natural reaction between cocoa and acidic ingredients like buttermilk created a faint reddish hue — subtle, elegant, and entirely accidental. During the Depression, food companies leaned into the color with red dye, and suddenly, the cake became a showstopper. Over time, it settled into its role as the quintessential romantic dessert — dramatic, nostalgic, and just a little bit indulgent.
And Susan Mason’s version? It’s the one I reach for when I want something timeless and unmistakably Southern.
Susan Mason’s Red Velvet Cake
Moist, tender, and crowned with a billowy cream cheese frosting, this cake shows up at life’s happiest gatherings — anniversaries, birthdays, and yes, plenty of Valentine’s tables.
Cake Ingredients
2½ cups self-rising flour
1½ cups sugar
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Cream: Beat oil, sugar, and eggs on high speed 3–4 minutes until thickened.
Combine: Alternately add sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Finish with another 3–4 minutes on high for a smooth batter.
Bake: Divide into two greased pans and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
16 oz confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add sugar gradually, mixing on low speed.
Stir in vanilla, then beat on medium-high 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Frost between layers and over the cake. Garnish with pecan halves, just as Susan suggests.
I’ve always believed Valentine’s Day doesn’t need grand gestures — just good food, soft light, and someone across the table worth slowing down for. These recipes carry the spirit of Savannah kitchens and the kind of Southern friendship that shows up in handwritten recipe cards and long conversations over dessert.
And if you ask me, that’s the sweetest part of all.
Let us know:
What will you be creating this Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear from you. And please send us a picture of whatever you decide, even if it’s dinner out. Where did you go?
