Just about 46 years ago I met and was quickly smitten with the girl who later became my Beautiful Wife. I decided that "the full-court press" was called for.
After a date or two I invited her to my apartment for dinner. (Get your mind out of the gutter; she had already made quite clear that she wasn't playing that game. And it was a different era.)
I don't recall what all else (if anything) I cooked, but the two stars of the occasion were Cold Orange and Carrot Soup and Cheese Souffle. I played some classical guitar music and something by the Budapest String Quartette on my middle-range high fidelity player, which I had built from a kit.
She told me later that her reaction was "Wow! A guy who cooks gourmet meals AND loves classical music!" I should mention that she is a professionally trained classical pianist. And that was when she decided that if "The Question" came, the answer was "Yes!"
The soup was the particular star, and I've done it periodically, by request, over the years, to satisfactory romantic results.
You can find recipes for cheese souffle by Googling, but the recipe for Cold Orange and Carrot Soup is approximately this:
Cold Orange and Carrot Soup You will need the following, but the amounts of half-and-half and of orange juice you'll actually use are matters of judgment. 1 pound carrots, chopped 1 quart chicken stock A little salt; not much, but I don't know how much I use. Take it easy; you can always add salt later. 1 quart orange juice (or less, as needed) 1 pint half-and-half (or less, as needed) (The original recipe called for cream as such, but I have modified it to half-and-half. 1/4 tsp nutmeg Chopped parsley for garnish
Simmer the carrots in the chicken stock until done
In a blender or food-processor, whiz all the carrots and say half the stock until fairly smooth, adding more stock. You probably can't put all of the stock in at this stage, because of room in the blender and also for better control of the reduction of the carrots to a smooth blend.
Pour out into a pan, and stir in the rest of the stock.
Thin with enough orange juice to make a fairly thick puree, remembering that the cream will be added later, so don't make it too thin. But the orange juice, in my judgment, is more important to the end result than the cream)
Add nutmeg
Chill in refrigerator (Remember, this is going to be a chilled soup)
At serving time, add half-and-half to arrive at a middling-thick and creamy soup.
Serve with parsley sprinkled on top.
This is the soup that won my Beautiful Wife for me.