Valentine

It's late. You're up. It happens to be that witching hour between Galentine's and Anna Howard Shaw day… a day that may inspire misery, happiness, or just a lot of aggressive apathy. Regardless of your feelings about today, it's bound to be a day full of sugar. In honor of that occasion, we spoke with the founder of John Jay Gourmet, a Tumblr featuring some awesome desserts that can all be cooked up with only the finest ingredients from John Jay, Brent Laurint, CC '14. In addition to answering some questions, he also shared two Valentine's-inspired deserts with us. So, without further ado:

In the blissfully innocent days of elementary school, denim overalls, bad haircuts, and gap-toothed smiles, Feb. 14 was always a long-awaited and highly anticipated occasion. It was a celebration of sweets and cartoon cards adorned with the Little Mermaid and Power Rangers. Our desires were simple—we wanted sugar, not sex; lollipops, not lust; Reese's, not romance; Bubblicious, not boyfriends; and Ring Pops, not engagement rings. Back in those days, there was mandated inclusion, which meant a guaranteed steady flow of candy and cards from all classmates and friends as mass-produced and impersonal as they may have been. There was no looming threat of a devastatingly barren voicemail box or lonely email inbox. In our days of blissful, elementary innocence, we ran the risk of going home on Feb. 14 with a toothache, but these days, we're more likely to go home on Feb. 14 with heartache. How have we, as adults, imbued this holiday, which always brought us unwavering joy, with the potential to cause us pain? Why give this day in mid-February the power to make those of us who are single question our status as such, re-think eating out alone, or over-analyze the company of a few feline friends? Why do 15 percent of American women feel the need to send themselves flowers on this day? When did Hershey's and Haribo surrender their commercial reigns to Victoria's Secret and Kay Jewelers? As the years pass, how has Valentine's Day taken such a dire transitional turn? Some might argue that as kids it was not through blissful innocence, but rather through blissful ignorance that we were able to enjoy a holiday centered around romance, a concept which, at the time, we had not even the slightest capability of grasping. But I beg to differ—I think we had the right idea back in the second grade. Back when Valentine's Day was all about spreading the love, doling out candy hearts, sending X's and O's all around, and living la vie en rose. Back when it was truly a celebration of a universal, unbiased love in all shapes and forms instead of societal and commercial pressure exploiting and emphasizing the importance of romantic love. St. Valentine would have preferred our free-loving miniature selves. Although there are many myths surrounding the origin of Valentine's Day, one well-known story recalls that St. Valentine was a Christian priest living in Rome in approximately 200 A.D. who defied the emperor by refusing to denounce his faith. St. Valentine was a passionate priest who emphasized the importance of agape, which, among eros and philia, is one of the three Greek types of love. Eros is a passionate, sexual love while philia is a love among friends and community members. But agape is a deep, complex, spiritual love for all of humanity. St. Valentine preached the importance of practicing agape and fostering loving connections amongst one another. St. Valentine was martyred on Feb. 14 270 A.D. for his advocacy of agape, and ever since then, we've celebrated love in his name. Why do we stop celebrating agape when we hit puberty? We should instead be celebrating the love that St. Valentine died fighting for. This Valentine's Day, I hope you stocked up on the supplies, whether they be arts and crafts necessities or home-made tokens or cheesy store-bought cards featuring Disney princesses with coy smiles and dump trucks that say "I dig you." I hope you spread the love to all your friends, family members, and classmates alike. I hope you showed your love for humanity and all of humanity's greatest productions and innovations—like chocolate, for instance. I hope you celebrated agape by treating yourself to a brilliant cup of Jacques Torres's wicked hot chocolate, a slice of Max Brenner's chocolate pizza, a Magnolia cupcake topped with chocolate buttercream frosting, or even a variety of truffles from the nearby Mondel Chocolates on 113th and Broadway. I hope you wandered into any Lindt store in the city appearing genuinely interested in a chocolate investment and scored a free sample. St. Valentine would urge us to celebrate agape by loving our friends, our families, our peers, and ourselves. It's entirely possible to appreciate the commercial perks and treats of Valentine's Day sans the romantic pressure. Flowers, chocolate, candy, balloons, sexy lingerie, doilies, greeting cards, cookies, and jewelry are all wonderful things to enjoy no matter what your relationship status may be. A lot has changed since elementary school—our denim overalls, bad haircuts, and gap-toothed smiles have most likely benefitted from the influences of Seven and Citizens jeans, skillful stylists, upscale salons, and the handiwork of orthodontics. But our Valentine's Day celebrations need not transform. Let's make old St. Valentine proud and feel the agape reverberate throughout Morningside Heights. Next year, on Feb. 14, plan on going home happy with a toothache—forget about lonely with a heartache. The author is a Barnard College first-year.