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Making the Mood
By Kimberly Crum Photos by Ewa Wojtkowska
Valentine's Day may be a Hallmark invention, but it also provides a help-ful
nudge to remember romance. You recall the days when the sight of your
beloved made your breath quicken and your heart race. But life’s
distractions, and the comfort of familiarity, have dulled some of that early
excitement. You will try to enliven your relationship with a dinner in a
candlelit restaurant. At the close of a multi-course meal, your belly feels full
as you climb into the car. When you finally arrive home, you are more
sleepy than sexy. Why not plan a candlelit seduction at home this Valentine’
s Day?
You might not be a goddess of love and beauty, but you can eat like one.
Aphrodite (a.k.a. Venus) of ancient mythology is famous for the libido-
enhancing foods she fed to her paramour — the mortal Adonis. Her
seduction was a success. Aphrodite and Adonis produced a son of mixed-
mortality — Eros (a.k.a. Cupid), the arrow-slinging matchmaker whose
image is ubiquitous in February. Though temples to Aphrodite are in ruins,
her immortality is secured by the word “aphrodisiac” which Webster’s
Dictionary defines as “an agent that arouses sexual desire.” Edible agents
that boost the libido include nuts, figs, oysters, caviar, asparagus,
chocolate, honey, chili peppers, garlic, strawberries and red wine. Food
seduction remains a popular subject. A brief cruise on Amazon.com
produced five aphrodisiac-themed books including Inter Courses: An
Aphrodisiac Cookbook, (popular at bridal showers), and Booty Food, a
relationship advice book with recipes.
“Many aphrodisiac foods are shellfish,” says Chef Kimberley Jones of
Sullivan’s Center for Hospitality Studies. Lovers of mythology propose that
shellfish is an aphrodisiac because Venus was born out of the sea. A more
scientific explanation is that “shellfish contains ingredients that heighten
blood flow and produce a sense of well-being,” says Jones, who created
our Aphrodite-style dinner. Oyster, an ancient aphrodisiac, contains the
mineral zinc, which boosts testosterone. Those whose palates are not
oyster-friendly can find zinc, or the libido-enhancing Vitamin E, in common
foods such as peanuts, pine nuts, carrots, strawberries, and raspberries.
Regardless of their aphrodisiac qualities, the most seductive foods are
finger foods, according to Jones. Touching food, and feeding your partner,
is sensual. A well-held French fry could inspire romance. But she
recommends the following finger-friendly selections: chilled oysters on the
half-shell, lightly steamed asparagus spears served with a lemon cream
dipping sauce, a dime-sized dollop of Kentucky Spoonfish caviar on a
scooped new potato stuffed with a sour cream mixture, and fresh whole
strawberries dipped in thick hot chocolate. Asparagus has a nutritional
compound that stimulates production of sex hormones. And strawberries
are the “heart-shaped symbol of Venus,” says Jones. According to legend,
if you feed a strawberry to someone, he or she will fall in love with you.
Chocolate is believed to have its most powerful effect on female sexuality if
it has a high cocoa content (dark chocolate). The cocoa stimulates
endorphin production and creates mild euphoria, according to Jones. She
highly recommends a purveyor of exotic chocolates, Vosges Haut Chocolat
(ordered on-line at www.vosges.com) in Chicago. Vosges flavors its
chocolate with chipotle chilies and Ceylon cinnamon, like Juliette Binoche
served Johnny Depp in the delicious movie, Chocolat. The dark chocolate
bars are so rich, they come with instructions: “Place the chocolate on your
tongue and press it to the roof of your mouth…(It) should slowly melt
around your tongue.”
The most sensual foods have complex flavors and textures. Competing
flavors encourage diners to become food detectives — to savor and
discuss the various tastes. We tend to linger over a bite of something that
is complex and has what gourmands refer to as a satisfying “mouth-feel.”
Chef’s icy, sweet raspberry gratina enhances the creamy flavor of the
chilled slippery oyster, while taming its slightly metallic taste. The saltiness
of caviar combined with a competing sweet or savory flavor makes you
forget you have fish eggs on your tongue. By broiling instead of frying crab
cakes, you maintain the crustacean’s sweet flavor and crumbly texture.
Crabby sweetness contrasts playfully with a spicy Creole remoulade.
The romantic atmosphere is completed by the ambience you establish with
setting, lighting, flowers and seating arrangements. The “tablescape” is an
important part of the meal planning. For the romantic dinner, Chef
recommends a casual non-traditional setting — not the dining table. Empty
chairs at a family dining table will remind you of the people who ordinarily
sit there. To ensure the evening focuses on the two of you, arrange the
meal on a small table or two ottomans, in front of a fireplace. Sit on the
floor next to your dinner partner so you can share platters of food. Serve
dinner items lightly chilled or at room temperature so neither of you has to
fetch the next course. That way, the food will be ready when the time is
right. Preparing the dinner together is an added enticement. Why not begin
to drink your champagne while you cook? Chef recommends a California
sparkling wine made from red grapes — Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs.
Neither finger foods, nor complex flavors, nor a satisfactory texture will
guarantee a renewal of your romance. The final ingredient is free,
available 24-hours-a-day and takes little preparation, other than shared
experience. Conversation is the most effective enhancement to your
romantic dinner.
Kimberly Crum (kimcrum@iamtodayswoman.com is grateful to Chief
Executive Chef Kimberley Jones who is a Certified Professional Catering
Executive (CPCE) and Chair of Professional Catering at Sullivan’s Center
for Hospitality Studies.
Aphrodite-Style Dinner: The most seductive foods are finger foods, such
as (a) chilled oysters on the half shell, (b) whole strawberries dipped in
thick hot chocolate, (c) lightly steamed asparagus spears with lemon cream
dipping sauce, (d) crab cakes, (e) Kentucky Spoonfish caviar on new
potatoes, (f) thick hot chocolate.
By Kimberly Crum Photos by Ewa Wojtkowska
Valentine's Day may be a Hallmark invention, but it also provides a help-ful
nudge to remember romance. You recall the days when the sight of your
beloved made your breath quicken and your heart race. But life’s
distractions, and the comfort of familiarity, have dulled some of that early
excitement. You will try to enliven your relationship with a dinner in a
candlelit restaurant. At the close of a multi-course meal, your belly feels full
as you climb into the car. When you finally arrive home, you are more
sleepy than sexy. Why not plan a candlelit seduction at home this Valentine’
s Day?
You might not be a goddess of love and beauty, but you can eat like one.
Aphrodite (a.k.a. Venus) of ancient mythology is famous for the libido-
enhancing foods she fed to her paramour — the mortal Adonis. Her
seduction was a success. Aphrodite and Adonis produced a son of mixed-
mortality — Eros (a.k.a. Cupid), the arrow-slinging matchmaker whose
image is ubiquitous in February. Though temples to Aphrodite are in ruins,
her immortality is secured by the word “aphrodisiac” which Webster’s
Dictionary defines as “an agent that arouses sexual desire.” Edible agents
that boost the libido include nuts, figs, oysters, caviar, asparagus,
chocolate, honey, chili peppers, garlic, strawberries and red wine. Food
seduction remains a popular subject. A brief cruise on Amazon.com
produced five aphrodisiac-themed books including Inter Courses: An
Aphrodisiac Cookbook, (popular at bridal showers), and Booty Food, a
relationship advice book with recipes.
“Many aphrodisiac foods are shellfish,” says Chef Kimberley Jones of
Sullivan’s Center for Hospitality Studies. Lovers of mythology propose that
shellfish is an aphrodisiac because Venus was born out of the sea. A more
scientific explanation is that “shellfish contains ingredients that heighten
blood flow and produce a sense of well-being,” says Jones, who created
our Aphrodite-style dinner. Oyster, an ancient aphrodisiac, contains the
mineral zinc, which boosts testosterone. Those whose palates are not
oyster-friendly can find zinc, or the libido-enhancing Vitamin E, in common
foods such as peanuts, pine nuts, carrots, strawberries, and raspberries.
Regardless of their aphrodisiac qualities, the most seductive foods are
finger foods, according to Jones. Touching food, and feeding your partner,
is sensual. A well-held French fry could inspire romance. But she
recommends the following finger-friendly selections: chilled oysters on the
half-shell, lightly steamed asparagus spears served with a lemon cream
dipping sauce, a dime-sized dollop of Kentucky Spoonfish caviar on a
scooped new potato stuffed with a sour cream mixture, and fresh whole
strawberries dipped in thick hot chocolate. Asparagus has a nutritional
compound that stimulates production of sex hormones. And strawberries
are the “heart-shaped symbol of Venus,” says Jones. According to legend,
if you feed a strawberry to someone, he or she will fall in love with you.
Chocolate is believed to have its most powerful effect on female sexuality if
it has a high cocoa content (dark chocolate). The cocoa stimulates
endorphin production and creates mild euphoria, according to Jones. She
highly recommends a purveyor of exotic chocolates, Vosges Haut Chocolat
(ordered on-line at www.vosges.com) in Chicago. Vosges flavors its
chocolate with chipotle chilies and Ceylon cinnamon, like Juliette Binoche
served Johnny Depp in the delicious movie, Chocolat. The dark chocolate
bars are so rich, they come with instructions: “Place the chocolate on your
tongue and press it to the roof of your mouth…(It) should slowly melt
around your tongue.”
The most sensual foods have complex flavors and textures. Competing
flavors encourage diners to become food detectives — to savor and
discuss the various tastes. We tend to linger over a bite of something that
is complex and has what gourmands refer to as a satisfying “mouth-feel.”
Chef’s icy, sweet raspberry gratina enhances the creamy flavor of the
chilled slippery oyster, while taming its slightly metallic taste. The saltiness
of caviar combined with a competing sweet or savory flavor makes you
forget you have fish eggs on your tongue. By broiling instead of frying crab
cakes, you maintain the crustacean’s sweet flavor and crumbly texture.
Crabby sweetness contrasts playfully with a spicy Creole remoulade.
The romantic atmosphere is completed by the ambience you establish with
setting, lighting, flowers and seating arrangements. The “tablescape” is an
important part of the meal planning. For the romantic dinner, Chef
recommends a casual non-traditional setting — not the dining table. Empty
chairs at a family dining table will remind you of the people who ordinarily
sit there. To ensure the evening focuses on the two of you, arrange the
meal on a small table or two ottomans, in front of a fireplace. Sit on the
floor next to your dinner partner so you can share platters of food. Serve
dinner items lightly chilled or at room temperature so neither of you has to
fetch the next course. That way, the food will be ready when the time is
right. Preparing the dinner together is an added enticement. Why not begin
to drink your champagne while you cook? Chef recommends a California
sparkling wine made from red grapes — Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs.
Neither finger foods, nor complex flavors, nor a satisfactory texture will
guarantee a renewal of your romance. The final ingredient is free,
available 24-hours-a-day and takes little preparation, other than shared
experience. Conversation is the most effective enhancement to your
romantic dinner.
Kimberly Crum (kimcrum@iamtodayswoman.com is grateful to Chief
Executive Chef Kimberley Jones who is a Certified Professional Catering
Executive (CPCE) and Chair of Professional Catering at Sullivan’s Center
for Hospitality Studies.
Aphrodite-Style Dinner: The most seductive foods are finger foods, such
as (a) chilled oysters on the half shell, (b) whole strawberries dipped in
thick hot chocolate, (c) lightly steamed asparagus spears with lemon cream
dipping sauce, (d) crab cakes, (e) Kentucky Spoonfish caviar on new
potatoes, (f) thick hot chocolate.
