Scarlett never got excited about Valentine’s Day. Her husband believed in giving only practical gifts — and every one of them came with an electric cord. Over the years she received a ceiling fan (he got hot, she didn’t), a vacuum cleaner for her car (she vacuumed the house; the cars were his responsibility), a hand mixer for baking cakes (she didn’t bake), and a parade of other household appliances that never felt romantic.
But one year, she decided she’d had enough. Yudofsky’s in Louisville was running a Valentine’s special, and Scarlett treated herself to a full-length black mink coat — a spectacular bargain and exactly the kind of gift she’d always dreamed of.
She waited for her husband to come home from work. As he walked through the door, she thanked him warmly for the lovely Valentine’s gift. Confused, he said, “I didn’t buy your Valentine’s gift yet.”
“Oh yes you did,” she replied.
She walked over to the couch where a large box sat waiting, pulled out the mink coat, slipped it on, and went right back to making dinner in the kitchen.
Later, as they sat down for their Valentine’s meal, he smiled and admitted she deserved it. After all, she had moved from the deep South for his career and spent every winter from 1982 to 1992 freezing in what she called “The North.”
Scarlett still wears that coat every winter. It still fits, it’s still warm, and it remains the best Valentine’s gift she ever received — even if she had to give it to herself.
To celebrate, mix up an Undercover Mink — a purple-hued cocktail with a floral, herbal twist, served in an old-fashioned glass.
Undercover Mink
Serves 1
A purple-hued cocktail with a floral, herbal twist, often served in an old-fashioned glass.
Ingredients- 1½ oz Chambord flavored vodka
- ½ oz honey
- ½ oz lemon juice
- 5 fresh sage leaves
- Club soda or mineral water (to top)
- Optional: small lavender florets for garnish
In a shaker, combine the Chambord vodka, honey, lemon juice, and sage leaves. Fill with ice and shake well until chilled.
Strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice. Top with club soda or mineral water and stir gently. Garnish with small lavender florets if desired, and serve.