Valentines Day

Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year when we can be really girly  and kitschy 

Its a day for champagne and this exotic Italian liqueur made out of wild strawberries.Also for sentimental ballads,chocolates hearts and of course roses.  

My Valentines day usually starts with a love brew.
That made me wonder how the day was celebrated in India. This site suggests that the day is celebrated there very much as it is here. Even in Bollywood. Surprising, really, given that we have our Kamadeva and Kama Sutra which go back even further.

I googled St Valentine and came up with a late Roman martyr . I also came up with Scott’s novel better known as “Fair Made of Perth”. 

I spent Valentines day with Stephen Fry last year.We discussed how it all may or may not have got started. We also discussed language food and culture.After our chat I served him a delightful little potato dish with the  aphrodisiac herb coriander...Unfortunately Stephen later told me that he doesn't like coriander.And he's not alone.There are a whole load of people around the globe who's think it taste like soap. There is nothing aphrodisiac about it to them....
Returning to roses the red rose was the favourite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love hence why its given to your loved one so much.
My dried rose petals come to good use to decorate and serve a byriani or even my strawberry ice cream with touch of cardamom.The queen of spice.

Although nearly every restaurants in the land has its Valentine’s Day special, it’s not the best day for eating out. It’s hard to get a table. It’s expensive. And unless you’re an item it’s not the day for dining out even with friend of the same sex. Remember that scene from “Sex and the City.”

Your best bet is probably to dine in. Now if you have a sweet tooth you will be spoilt for choice including my strawberry and cardamon ice cream which has cream sugar and fresh strawberries galour, but if your more “sweet than can eat” try the savoury alternative of potato and cashew nut with lime leaves served with cucumber raita.

Described by Kate Spice of The Times as “Better than sex” with may be a song or two.

I was sang to with this lovely song L-O-V-E  Nat King Cole by my sweet partner once and still adore the song now.  

What ever it is that your up to this year, make it a sweet treat and eat yourselves sexy from my list of aphrodisiac foods to help you to turn up the heat!  

•  Asparagus the folic acid stirs up lust in man and woman

·  Chocolate is known to touch the pleasure centre of the brain.Chocolate contains the antioxidants as does red wine.So the secret for passion is to combine the two.Try a glass of Cabernet with a bit of dark chocolate

·   Almonds the aromas thought to induce passion in females

·         Chilli is an invigorating spice, has an exotic reputation and stimulates endorphins

 ·     Aniseed has been used as a aphrodisiac since the Greeks and Romans who believed sucking on the seed increases your desire.

• Raspberries and Strawberries perfect foods for handing  to your lover.
• Figs symbolises both sexuality and modesty 
• Mustard is believed to stimulate the sexual gland and increase desire.
• Pine nuts prized for its ability to aid both male and female potency
• Arugula the herb is thought to provide  amazing energy to the body.  
• Oysters goes back hundreds of years as aphrodisiac food for more reasons than one, personally an oyster from the sea served to me, is just not for me. 

    ooh la la as the french folks of the sexy city of "Paree" would say x