> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for all that - very entertaining stuff! The gist does seem to
> be to do something that I'm used to doing (and yes I am a dab hand in
> the kitchen), rather than to try something complicated and make a pig's
> ear of it. I have one or two thoughts that I'll run by the lady
> concerned, and then I'll take it from there. But thanks for all your
> contributions so far folks - and do keep them coming. I can try the
> more complicated examples later in the relationship - if that's how it
> pans out. Alan S - you've definitely given me some "food for thought"
> there!! Cheers all.
>
Absolutely go with what you know and are comfortable with. Don't worry
about if it's "just pasta" - you can do some pretty fantastic things simply
with pasta and not spend all the time fussing over a stove or a grill or
whatever. If she likes seafood, you might think of a shrimp and crab
linguini dish with a cream sauce topped with grated Parmesan. Serve it with
some hot crusty bread, warmed olive oil with some dried herbs (oregano or
marjoram, basil) in it and cracked black pepper for dipping the bread in and
a crisp chilled white wine.

Atmosphere is everything and it sounds like you would like to impress this
lady. Have a vase of flowers on the table and candles. Music in the
background... something subtle; we aren't talking Metallica here! Good
luck!

Jill