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We are starting this meal with BAVARIAN PRETZELS & GRUYERE FONDUE DIP. We all know the classic "pretzel and beer cheese" combo, but for this menu, I wanted to elevate it. First, the pretzels: since I can't seem to do anything halfway, I'll be making proper Bavarian-style pretzels... soft but chewy, deep and dark, and finished with the correct secret glaze before baking. Then the cheese: instead of a cheddar-lager base, I'll be making a smooth, fondue-style mornay sauce using nutty gruyere cheese and a splash of white wine. It’s rich, silky, and perfect for tearing and dipping into. Who doesn't love great pretzels with great cheese?

Our main item this week is ALPINE COQ AU RIESLING. Think of this as Coq au Vin’s sophisticated, blonde cousin. Instead of heavy red wine, I'll be braising seared chicken thighs in an off-dry Riesling (white wine) with plenty of aromatic vegetables and herbs, then finishing things off with a touch of cream and the crucially-important bacon lardons. The result is something that's deeply comforting, while being velvety, smoky, and bright all at once. It's one of those dishes that fills the kitchen with all the right aromas, and anchors the plate with something to get excited about.

Even the best main characters need excellent supporting roles to really shine, and HERBED BROWN BUTTER SPAETZLE is just the thing for this week's menu. What the heck is a spaetzle? They're their own thing, and you can think about them as itty bitty egg dumplings, a little like short chewy noodles... they kind of look like pasta, but they aren't pasta. I'll make the dough from scratch of course, boil them until tender, and then toss them in nutty brown butter with a touch of nutmeg and fresh parsley. These are like the ultimate comfort starch, and a perfect accompaniment to this week's star.

We need one more item to tie this menu together, and SPICED RED CABBAGE & APPLES is it. I know, cabbage isn't usually exciting... but this stuff is. This isn't a crunchy salad, this is a slow-braised, hearty, sweet-tart vegetable that pairs beautifully with the rest of this week's menu. Sliced cabbage and tart apples, cooked low and slow with cider vinegar, warm spices like clove and cinnamon, and finished with red currant jelly for balance. I dare say this dish is wonderful on its own, but serving in its role as a contrast to our other menu items this week is what makes it extra special.

Dessert? Of course. Chocolate, since Valentines Day is the day after Friday's meal? OF COURSE. To keep things on-theme, we'll be having BLACK FOREST BROWNIES. My favorite dark chocolate brownie recipe, with pieces of marinated cherries, swirls of cherry jam, and a splash of kirsch (cherry brandy), baked up to fudgy perfection and served with some berry whipped cream (because why not?) Great brownies, Black Forest style.