Foods of Love
Like the song says, "What the world
needs now is love, sweet loves". Valentine's Day reminds us of what
makes the world go round. So give it a whirl! Do it up in style,
tastefully of course. Call on Cupid's help to find your love or to
tighten the bounds of love. What better way to celebrate
Valentine's Day than an intimate dinner? Various eras and cultures
have believed that certain foods are aphrodisiacs. Even if the
power of these foods is more psychological than real, why not play
the game and use them to delight the senses. Throw caution to the
winds and woo the object of your affection with a gourmet meal!
- Oriental Shrimp and Dip
- Artichokes with Creamy Lemon Sauce
- Cardamom Chicken Curry
- Chocolate Fondue
- Send an official Valentine's card and invitation without revealing the details of your plans for the evening.
- Throughout the day, leave a little trail of love notes for your sweetheart to find.
- Hoping to make a new romantic conquest? Send a signed message (e-mail, telegram, etc.) to your heartthrob's home or office. For a touch of mystery, use a pen name or better yet send an anonymous message!
- Appealing to all the senses will ensure an enchanting evening. Soft, dimmed lights, candlelight and firelight set the stage for romance.
- Burn scented candles. Their subtle perfume will put romance in the air.
- Select soft, quiet music that will please your beloved and trust your instincts.
- Decorate the room or table with care. A bouquet of flowers or heart-shaped balloons are always appreciated. Lay a lace tablecloth or doilies over a red tablecloth. Set the table with candlesticks and your best china, with a perfect red rose on each dinner plate. Don't leave anything to chance.
- Wind down with some pre-dinner drinks and scintillating conversation.
- Champagne on ice is ideal if you have it, if not a good sparkling wine will tickle your sweetheart's senses.
- Make your paramour's favourite drink or concoct a true Love Potion
- Serve voluptuous hors d'oeuvres with drinks: smoked oyster canapés, miniature caviar cream puffs or cherry tomatoes and endive leaves filled with herbed cream cheese. Use fancy paper napkins and feed each other the tasty morsels. Finger food is sensuous.
- Above all, remember to drink in every word your sweetheart says!
- Even if you're not a great chef, prepare a simple yet succulent dish. It will be well appreciated. The pleasure of a good meal is well worth the effort.
- For an extraordinarily decadent, yet simple, romantic dinner, serve caviar, smoked salmon, foie gras, baguette, strawberries and chocolate with champagne or a sparkling wine.
- Give your menu a theme: Italian nights, mysteries of the Far East, or fondues from start to finish for a long drawn-out evening of dining pleasure!
- The most potent aphrodisiac is still the imagination. So make your own magic with tantalizing ingredients: champagne, oysters or seafood, caviar, asparagus, artichokes, celery, fennel or bananas. Pungent spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, cumin or cardamom have a reputation for stirring up the blood.
- Chocolate is a sure thing for dessert. Rich, dark and musky, chocolate has long been associated with Valentine's Day.
- Chocolate truffles, cake, brownies, cream or mousse are all sensuous sweets that will light your fire and your partner's. Indulge together.
- If you haven't got the time to cook, prepare a simple parfait with vanilla ice cream, topped with chocolate sauce and decorated with half a banana resting against the rim of the glass. Garnish with whipped cream and a cherry, with stem of course!
- Find the chocolate that matches your paramour's personality: milk or dark, with nuts, as a drink, in fondue, or sensuously licked off each other's fingers.
- There is no scientific proof of chocolate's aphrodisiac properties, but it is sure to have an effect!
- Offer a gift or small surprises throughout the evening.
- Arrange a treasure hunt with a clue accompanying each course.
- Show your love with a poem, a song or a romantic acrostic using the letters of your Valentine's name.
- Invite your darling on an unusual or original date...
- Offer a piece of jewellery engraved with both your initials as a proof of your love.