Did you forget to make reservations for you and your boo this Valentine’s Day? Go homemade instead—and add a little spice to your romantic dinner with some natural aphrodisiacs.
Your tool box must include the classic candles, red roses … maybe even a blanket. The essential element, though, is the sustenance. As the old saying goes, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Speaking from experience, I can assure you that us women also appreciate a delicious spread. But what should your romantic candle light dinner consist of?
The first item of business should always be chocolate. Make sure to include it in the Valentine’s Day card that you send to express your love, as tradition dictates. But here is the ulterior motive: chocolate naturally causes a spike in dopamine. This feel-good chemical also increases libido, so it should not be left out of your V-day celebrations.
The tradition of sending chocolates to your lover on Valentine’s day has not been around as long as you might think. In fact, Valentine’s Day was not even associated with romance for a time. The holiday first came into being during the traditions of chivalry and courtly love that developed in the fourteenth century. Our modern, commercialized version of the holiday came about during the eighteenth century in England.
Chocolate is very tied up to the senses. “It melts ever so slowly on your tongue, and tortures you with pleasure,” to quote the film Chocolat. But chocolate isn’t the only thing that hits the spot. Chocolat also taught us that even chili peppers can give you a lift. A healthy dose of chili peppers to stimulates endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that are brain produces when we smile and when we are happy.
Now, to get back to the question of what to put into that picnic basket, there are some other aphrodisiacs that are essential for any Valentine’s Day picnic.
To quench your thirst, bring along a bottle of some red wine, which has been acknowledged as an aphrodisiac since Roman times. For an appetizer serve some guacamole. Avocados were once forbidden by the Catholic priests in Old World Spain on account of their voluptuous nature, which seems to resembles the body of a woman.
For the first course, serve a salad with arugula, as it has been considered an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D.
Smoothly move on to a light portion of oysters. They are not only high in zinc, which boosts testosterone levels and thus libido, but they even contain amino acids that trigger sex hormones. Some other ideas include asparagus, which was traditionally fed to French grooms in a triple serving before the wedding night in order to get them ready for the task at hand. Pasta never goes amiss, just make sure you buy long noodles as you can eat off the same plate, Lady and the Tramp style. And since pine nuts are high in zinc, too, bring on the pesto sauce!
After the main meal, make sure the dessert portion packs even more of a punch. Honey is good for the birds and the bees, but it also raises the libido. Drink up the pomegranate juice, as it raises testosterone levels and acts as a natural Viagra for those who need a little extra help. Also serve some bananas, which have a long history in regards to sex and love. According to Islamic tradition, Adam and Eve covered themselves with banana leaves after tasting the fruit of knowledge. Even figs are fit for an imperial affair, as they are said to have been Cleopatra’s favorite fruit. Associated with such an erotic woman, they aptly symbolize sexuality, while in the Christian tradition, fig leaves are associated with modesty.
All these mouthwatering provisions are a sure-fire way to fan the flames this Friday night, but never forget that Valentine’s Day has traditionally been devoted to courtship, promoting love and the romantic gesture. Historically it has been a very coy celebration, particularly in Victorian England, in which sentimentality and modesty were highly valued. As such, don’t forget those heartfelt romantic gestures before the more overt ones. As a woman, I can say that a bouquet of red roses never goes amiss, just as a handwritten card (and not a Hallmark one) can soften me up. So go ahead and try your hand at poetry, or strew some rose petals in the bathtub, because one thing is for sure: romance will never die.
