Valentine's Day in NW Montana

Time again for Valentine's Day. May we point to so some fabulous choices in Eureka for a romantic dinner with your special someone? Read on for answers to those back-burnered questions you have about the day.

Start your day with breakfast or brunch at Cafe Jax. Their special Valentine to you is a choice of French Toast stuffed with Cream cheese and topped with Fresh Strawberries or Pork Enchiladas served up with Mary's Famous Chile Verde Sauce!

Yong's Valentine Dinner for 2 will be on Sat., Feb 13. It is a 5 course delight featuring heart of romaine salad, grilled Sea Scallops with fennel Salad, Shrimp Cocktail, an entree of Prime Rib with veggies, and finished with richly wonderful Huckleberry Cheesecake. All of this, plus a beverage for $74.95. Reserve your table now at 297-7077.

On Valentines Day, Trapper's Saloon, 889-3400, is turning off the TV's and creating a romantic atmosphere for your evening with dinner choices of a fish, chicken, or steak special with all of the trimmings that include desert and a drink. Prices vary from entree to entree.

Four Corners Restaurant will have Valentine's Specials all weekend! Try an appetizer of Cajun crabcakes or almond breaded brie followed by Beef Oscar, Coconut Prawns, Vegetarian/Gluten free Pasta Primavera, Chicken Cordon bleu....just to name a few of their entree choices. Call 297-2444 to make your reservations.

There will be an evening of Decadent Romance at Powderhorn Cafe on THE Day. Reservations are required, 297-7976. You get a choice of rock salted prime rib topped with bearnaise and crab OR veal scallopini with a baked potato and asparagus served with ceasar salad, decadent bread and cherry cream pie. Bring your own libations….they will provide glasses and corkscrews.

Jerry's in Fortine, 882-4474, and the Silverado (Feb 12th and 13th), 297-7777, are both having special selections for you and your love that include choices of delectable entrees. Give them a call for details.

The mystery of Valentine's Day revealed, sort of: Every wonder, “Why Feburary 14th? Who was Valentine? Why a holiday for love and lovers, anyway? What's up with that chubby kid flying around shooting people with arrows?” Sit back.

Why that date? Very likely because the Roman fertility celebration, Lupercalia, which landed in mid-February, was reclaimed and recycled by the Church, as they were wont to do, during the Renaissance.

Next, St. Valentine was martyred. That's all anyone can agree on. Sometime back in Roman days. Either for performing marriages secretly to soldiers when the state had declared it illegal because they believed that single men fought more ferociously, or for helping Christians escape from Roman prisons (allegedly sending a gal a note signed “from your Valentine”), OR…..something else.

Although the truth of St. Valentine is not known, all of the stories show him as a sympathetic, heroic, and romantic sympathizing guy. So, he gets the holiday for lovers. And, it's been around since the middle ages, so it appears that this tradition of giving cards, flowers, and gifts to your beloved isn't going to go away any time soon!

Now, about that interesting little cherub….he goes back to Greek and Roman mythology. Eros (Greek) and Cupid (Roman) was the son of the goddess of love. He was a handsome young man who went around shooting people and gods in the hearts with golden arrows to make them fall in love. He also had arrows of lead that he used to make them hate someone. Basically, he wreaked a lot of havoc and love in the world and heavens. In the Renaissance he was transformed into that chubby kid flying around with arrows of love. Anyone who has had their heart pierced by love knows that it isn't just a metaphor.

Happy Valentine's Day, from visitNWmontana.