In the first grade, it was a large plastic bag full of Hershey kisses. Third grade: a cooler full of Push Pops. Last Thanksgiving: a tray of strawberry-pretzel-marshmallow snacks in the shape of turkeys. These are just some of the gifts I’ve given to classmates, friends and family over the many holidays in my life. Food has always been the currency of love in my relationships: when I feel a deep appreciation, the only language I know how to show it in is culinary. This is how I was taught love — as something to be shared, filling hearts and bellies alike, the kind of contentment you feel when someone you adore enjoys their favorite foods, feeling full just watching them eat.
Some of the most tender, loving moments of my life have been shared in culinary settings: late night ramen with my sister, my mother’s warm hands guiding mine as I make my first pizza, cooking quesadillas huddled around a griddle on the floor of my freshman-year dorm, learning my grandma’s recipe for sabzi after seeing her for the first time in eight years and my dad quizzing me on obscure movie quotes as I help him not burn the mushrooms. The scents and the sizzle of the pan always take me back to those moments that I treasure.
Freshman year, the moment that really cemented my comfort, love and friendship with my lovelies here at UC Santa Barbara was on Valentine’s Day. We were cooking the chocolate on a half-functioning stove in San Miguel’s eighth-floor kitchen, messily plating the strawberries on the two plastic Target plates (you know which ones I’m talking about). Laughing about an earlier encounter with brawling raccoons, a synergy from our combined efforts and laughter fused with the sweetness of the strawberries brought us closer. I am grateful for that night, which was unplanned but a surprise in the best of ways. Without it, I might never have truly settled in here.
These strawberries, circa Valentine’s Day 2023, will go down in my personal history as the most delectable sweet treat I’ve ever had.
Below is a recipe for those chocolate strawberries, now an annual tradition among me and my friends here, a tried-but-true Valentine’s treat.
Chocolate Strawberries
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pack fresh strawberries
- 1-2 large bars of Hershey’s chocolate
- Dash of salt
- Optional: wooden skewers (or skewers of any kind, maybe something Valentine-themed)
Instructions
- Take your chocolate and either: 1) microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds and squeeze it out of the packet into a bowl, or 2) heat on the stove until fully melted.
- Take your washed strawberries, swirl them in chocolate and place them on a plate one at a time. (You can use skewers, but don’t be afraid to get messy!)
- Sprinkle strawberries with a dash of salt while the chocolate is still warm.
- Allow the chocolate to harden on the strawberries.
- Enjoy!
No matter who you are spending this Valentine’s Day with, these strawberries are sure to get you feeling all the love. It’s not just about the flavor but about making them together: the fruit of your labor is always sweeter with someone to share. Grab a lover or a friend, stay in and cook this Valentine’s Day. I can guarantee you, a warm, dimly lit kitchen is just as romantic and calming as any fancy restaurant. Share the love and make some unforgettable memories. Cheers!
A version of this article appeared on p. 12 of the February 13th, 2025 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
