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Hestia's Corner by Hestia  St. Valentine's Day began in ancient Greece as a spring fertility festival.It was called Lupercalia, which in Greek means to cast off sadness and become illuminated, or let your hair down and let your light shine! It involved some strange (to modern types) traditions and rituals to guarantee fertility of the land as well as its people. As Christianity spread to Greece, this spring holiday became sanctified (saintified) by becoming known as the day to celebrate the saint of true love - Saint Valentine. You don't need to participate in the ancient rites to get into the spirit of this holiday. Just do a little mental spring cleaning, let go of any feelings that may be holding you back and start the new year fresh. However, for me, love means food and it doesn't hurt to give love a nudge by indulging in a modern tradition...Chocolate! Here is one of the best recipes I know, from one of my favorite people, the goddess of chocolate, Alice Medrich. Enjoy! Chocolate Valentine Marquise 7-inch heart-shaped, straight-sided bottomless form with 3-inch high sides, or a conventional 4-cup mold 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces If you are using a bottomless form, trace a heart exactly the size of the form on a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Melt the ounce of chocolate. Spread it on the paper within the tracing. Tape the paper to a baking sheet to keep the chocolate heart from warping as it hardens and place the form over it. Refrigerate while you make the marquise. The thin chocolate heart on the bottom of the dessert will keep the marquise from sticking to the serving platter. If you are using a conventional mold, line it as smoothly as you can with plastic wrap; set aside. 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into bits 4 ounces (1 stick) sweet butter, cut into small pieces 2 tablespoons powered (not freeze-dried) instant coffee, dissolved in 2 teaspoons water 4 large eggs, separated 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 Tablespoons sugar Cocoa powder for decoration Melt chocolate and butter together in a medium bowl placed in a pan of barley simmering water. Stir from time to time to hasten melting. When chocolate is melted and smooth, whisk in dissolved coffee powder and egg yolks. Remove from heat and set aside. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold remaining whites into mixture until completely incorporated. Scrape mousse immediately into prepared mold. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or until set, before unmolding to serve. Marquise may be prepared to this point, up to 2 days in advance. If you have molded the marquise in a bottomless form, sprinkle the top lightly with cocoa sifted through a fine strainer. Remove tape, tilt the form, and peel the paper from the bottom. Pace the form on a serving platter. Gently warm the sides of the mold with a hot, wrung-out wet towel or a propane torch. Slip the mold off quickly. If you have used a conventional mold, melt the ounce of chocolate. Spread it thinly over the top surface of the cold marquise. Chill for 10 minutes to harden. Invert mold onto serving platter. Remove mold and carefully peel plastic wrap from marquise. Dust the top with cocoa. Serve cold, cut into thin slices with Crème Anglaise. From Cocolat, Extraordinary Chocolate Desserts published by Warner Books and available for sale on amazon.com Hestia says, "Get a copy, you will thank me." 
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