GLASGOW has a connection to the story of Valentine’s Day.

In 1868, a French family made a donation to the Franciscan religious order. It was a wooden box labelled “the body of Saint Valentine” and this relic was sent to the church of Saint Francis in the Gorbals.

The chest largely languished in anonymity until it was moved to the nearby Blessed St John Duns Scotus in 1999, placed near the church’s entrance and decorated with flowers on 14th February each year. Glasgow was soon claiming the saint as one of its own, assuming the title “a City of Love”.

Evidence of our collective romantic notions will be seen in a different type of Valentine’s Day box this year as local restaurants answer the call for home cooking to replace the traditional night out. This elevated form of takeaway provides the same ingredients that would be used in your favourite eatery, with some pre-prepared elements and encouraging cooking instructions to follow.

If you like a challenge then there are options that would appeal to the amateur chef. For the most part, though, this is an exercise in identifying various sizes of containers. Then rereading the instructions to make sure you haven’t missed any steps while imagining you are appearing in an episode of some Anthony Bourdain hosted cooking show.

There will be theatrical flourishes as you slosh flavours together in a hot pan and your kitchen oven will be operated with an unusual level of precision. Plates will be arranged and decorated with artistic flair.

The first peak at Porter & Rye’s Valentine’s Box reveals an eye-popping display. It features two of their exquisite 55 day dry-aged fillets, a sirloin and a rib-eye, alongside an impressive medley of side dishes. There’s the option to upgrade to a chateaubriand, aged for an additional seven days in a butter coating. You also choose from a selection of prosecco and Champagne to complete your meal.

Glasgow Times:

Cooking award-winning steaks in your own kitchen is the star attraction and deserves a bit of concentration. The marbled slabs of beef transform with a couple of well-timed manoeuvres over a hotplate and the addition of garlic and herbs. Relatively simple, but there is a level of satisfaction to getting it right. For once I took the oft-repeated chef advice to let the steak rest for five minutes before plating.

An added element comes from the playlist by Georgia Cecile that is introduced in the Porter & Rye at Home menu, giving you jazz classics to listen to online, curated by the Scottish rising star.

Then there’s the reassuring nostalgia that comes from enjoying familiar side dishes like bone marrow mac and cheese that turn out the way you remember them from the restaurant.

Whoever you are sharing Valentine’s Day with this year, take the chance to bring a bit of Finnieston flavour to your night.

porterandrye.com

Glasgow Times:

Best of Valentine’s Day

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is offering its home dining experience for delivery and for collection at their members room on Bath Street.

As part of the package, you can access videos from Executive Head Chef James Freeman and whisky ambassadors to talking you through how to enjoy your drams and plate your meal. Find out more at smws.com/home-dining.

Eden Mill has teamed up with Coia’s Café for a dinner menu and gin tasting.

The menu includes an antipasto sharing platter, tortelloni Valentino and rigatoni salsiccia, with sticky toffee pudding and a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake for dessert.

There will be an online tasting of Eden Mill’s new miniature bottles and limited-edition gins alongside games, a quiz and some prizes to give away. Places can be booked at edenmill.com.

Halloumi Southside has a Greek feast menu for two available for collection or delivery from February 11-14.

The menu includes popular date night dishes including swordfish souvlaki skewers, king prawns with chilli and garlic, houmous and tzatziki with pitta. You can add in a Valentine’s day cocktail to go with a red rose and bottle of prosecco. Find out more at halloumiglasgow.co.uk.

Le Petit Cochon’s Valentine’s menu for two includes a blue cheese and pancetta souffle, chateaubriand with dauphinoise potatoes and ruby chocolate and framboise entremets.

Go all in by adding lobster thermidor, salt baked Orkney scallops and a whole baked Camembert with truffle honey to your order. More information at lepetitcochon.co.uk.

The Loveable Rogue on Great Western Road has a romantic four course gastropub menu including mushroom velouté, Cote de Boeuf with Gruyere cheese potato gratin and a dessert of Choux au Craquelin with pistachio and rose.

Orders close on February 10 for delivery or collection. You can find them at theloveablerogue.co.uk.

A Valentine debut for Locker in Hyndland which has put together a selection of starters, mains and desserts, with sparkling wine from The Good Spirits Co.

Options include braised octopus, Jerusalem artichoke velouté, rabbit pie and pavlova hearts with extras including handmade salt caramel truffles or a selection of Scottish cheeses. Email info@lockerhyndland.co.uk to reserve your romantic treat.

Local favourite Five March has a cook at home meal kit available for Valentine’s Day with scallop carpaccio, salmon caviar and sea herbs, ribeye steak with mushroom xo and soy gravy. All the details are at fivemarch.co.uk.

For more on local food and drink, order The Best of Glasgow book from glasgowist.com/best-of-glasgow.