My Spy

Author Q&A

VALENTINES DAY ESSAY

Phones ring.
Faxes churn.

Who has time to relax these days? But take heart. Even one stolen half hour can do wonders for morale—and for aching, stressed muscles, especially when you share your half-hour mini-vacation with someone special.

Annie O’Toole, the nurturing heroine of My Spy, knows a thing or two about how to filter out stress. This recipe is one of her favorites because of its elegant simplicity. Best of all, you don’t have to travel to Fiji or Kauai to enjoy it—but you may feel as if you had.

You’ll need 1 cup of almond oil and one cup of fresh flower petals (nothing collected from plants treated with pesticides). Annie likes to use a blend of rose and lavender, but jasmine works well too.

Transfer petals to a glass or ceramic jar with a tight lid. Add oil, stir, and then seal. Store the jar in a dark place while the flavors blend, ideally for several days up to a week. (Okay, you need to plan ahead, I admit. But once you smell the result, it may be hard to wait!) Before using the oil, pour through a strainer to remove the petals.

You’ll find this makes the perfect massage oil. Annie’s hint: try it after a long, steamy bath. The smell is out of this world, and your skin will glow, completely revived.

One more ingredient to enhance that perfectly romantic moment? Pour 1 tsp. raspberry liqueur into a chilled champagne flute, rotating carefully to coat the glass completely. Add your favorite champagne and share with someone very special.

Forget the phones and ignore the fax. Indulge!