KHOU & CultureMap
Sex on a plate: The Pope promotes sexy, "mood" food for Valentine's Day
Obviously, the Pope is an expert on the best foods to eat for setting the proper Valentine's Day mood. No, not the Bishop of Rome, that would be silly. Rather, for this week's CultureMap Moment on KHOU, we turned to Monica Pope, chef/owner of Midtown restaurant Sparrow Bar + Cookshop.
Sex on a plate: The Pope promotes sexy Valentine's Day foods
In addition to traditional favorites like chocolate, peppers and avocados, Pope recommends burrata cheese, which is mozzarella stuffed with cream. The chef incorporates the luxuriously creamy ingredient into a simple salad with sauteed local shiitake mushrooms, chopped micro greens and a whiff of truffle oil.
"Truffle oil makes everything better. It just does," enthuses KHOU anchor Lily Jang. "And the mozzarella really is like sex on a plate," Pope adds.
"Sensuous," affirms CultureMap contributor Marcy de Luna after she takes a bite.
Want to make it at home tonight? It only takes 10 minutes. Pope recommends purchasing cheese from the Houston Dairymaids, but most grocery stores stock it. Saute the mushrooms in a little olive oil, then combine with the cheese and greens. Sprinkle lightly with truffle oil.
Watch the KHOU CultureMap moment below: