Sweet Expressions of Love – Fortune Cookies

A personalized fortune folded inside a freshly baked circle of sweet dough makes these homemade Fortune Cookies the perfect punctuation to conclude a romantic dinner. They might also serve as a thoughtful token, a heartfelt expression or simply a sweet surprise.

The Written Word

Love blooms from beautiful expressions. Tradition tells us that Valentine’s Day commemorates the occasion when St. Valentine, jailed under harsh rule in the Roman empire, cured his jailor’s daughter of blindness. He did this by sending her a note about God’s love which her eyes miraculously opened to read. The expression of love sent by Valentine bore wonderful healing power.

I believe it is the same today. Words of love, personally confessed in writing, possess a special charm. They have the power to heal wounds, to bond affection and to celebrate relationship in indelible terms. A letter written in one’s own hand is personal, perhaps even intimate, revealing a glimpse into the heart of the one who writes.

Romantic Accessories

As Valentine’s Day approaches I begin to think of some of the most famous words of love, lines from Shakespeare, the Romantic Poets, the Song of Solomon and other wonderful sources of quotes that are so worthy of sharing with those we hold dear. Though not our own original work, sharing an apt romantic quote can also be a special acknowledgement of love. We are not all writers but we can all appreciate a carefully chosen word offered at the appropriate time or in a creative way, especially by someone we love.

I also delight in the romantic accessories that suggest the written word. Think of quill pens and parchment paper, of the flickering flame of candles burning low. Picture rugged hands making flourishes in ink as their script runs across a page. I think of Joseph Fiennes and his ink stained fingers writing words of love to Lady Viola in Shakespeare in Love.

Fortunes of Love

Sometimes fortune offers these tokens in unexpected places. A few years ago I shared a memorable dinner with my husband and son while we were in Oxford, England. Hungry from the journey, when we arrived at our hotel we asked where we might order dinner. The hotel clerk recommended a restaurant just down the street called Shanghai 30’s.

To the back and up the stairs of a 15th century building along St. Aldate’s, we found ourselves in a well appointed 1930s style lounge, complete with Victrola and pipe stand. Soon we were seated in an elegant room with dark wood floors and an intricate ceiling. The table was dressed with a white tablecloth. We ordered dishes that were presented with tremendous attention to detail. Shrimp rolls were served on a breadcrumb beach resting under carrot stick palm trees. Sesame crusted King Prawn Toasts were snared in a green onion net. The food was as beautiful as it was delicious.

It’s All in the Presentation

After dinner fortune cookies were brought to the table to be chosen from an ornate chest. Mine read, “Your path is arduous but will be amply rewarding.” The receipt was presented with a nib pen and inkwell for signing. What romance! It was an exquisite surprise, delightful and wholly unexpected when we arrived at our destination hungry and simply hoping for an adequate meal.

While Fortune Cookies aren’t always a culinary delight they do add a touch of drama to a meal. With a creative presentation and carefully selected fortunes they add romance as well. If you make your own you can add fortunes worded according to your own inclination. A carefully composed fortune folded within a freshly baked circle of sweet dough makes these cookies the perfect punctuation to conclude a romantic dinner. They can be a thoughtful Valentine token, a heartfelt expression or simply a sweet surprise.

Cookies Filled with Personal Expression

To make your own Fortune Cookies, the first step is to choose your fortunes. If you are inspired or creative, compose your own. If not, borrow. It is easy to find quotations on every topic from friendship to love or romance with a quick Internet search. Some of my favorites include:

“My beloved is mine, and I am his”

~ Song of Solomon 2:16

“Grow old with me! The best is yet to be.”

~ Robert Browning

“I’ve fallen in love many times… always with you.”

~ Author Unknown

“Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds.”

~ Shakespeare

“I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love.”

~ Henry Ward Beecher

“The richest love is that which submits to the arbitration of time.”

~ Lawrence Durrell

“If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?”

~ Anonymous

“Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops up the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots.”

~ Hoosier Farmer

“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people”

~ Vincent van Gogh

Preparing Fortunes

Then choose a pretty piece of paper, maybe parchment or other good quality stationery. If you have nice handwriting I encourage you to write out the fortunes by hand using a fountain pen if possible.

First trim your paper into strips that are ideally no more than 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. (If you need longer strips to write out your message you can fold them in half.) If you don’t want to write them out yourself print them out on your computer using a calligraphy font and trim afterward.

Next gather the ingredients needed to make the cookies… as well as a fair dose of patience. Light a candle. Turn on a romantic playlist and enjoy crafting the cookies. They must be made a few at a time as they set up quickly and need to be folded with speed while they are still hot. I made mine one by one as I tried to take photos along the way. Three would be the most I could imagine handling at one time.

Once they are folded tuck, each one into the cup of a muffin tin to cool completely. This will help your Fortune Cookies to retain their folded shape while holding onto your heartfelt expressions. When cool, they are ready for sharing.

Enjoy!