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Valentine's day Traditions
Valentine's Day has been
celebrated for over 1,000 years - not only because of Saint
Valentine, but also because the Romans worshipped that same
period as a fertility holiday. The combination of love, romance
and affection has combined to make Valentine's Day one of the
most-proposed-on days of the year.
Here are some traditions found
around the globe!
Italy
In Italy, an old tradition was called the festival of Wolves,
when men would playfully whip the women and pair up for
fertility rites. In more modern times, couples sit and read
poetry together, or listen to music.
Germany
Germans LOVE flowers, and on Valentine's Day this is specially
true. Large bouquets of gorgeous wildflowers are chosen for
that special someone. The flowers were less about the cost and
more about choosing the favourites of the true love - to show
you were paying attention to her specific affections and not
just treating her like 'any girl'.
England
Victorian England was in love with elaborate paper valentines
which would be passed amongst family and friends. Create your
own hand-made valentine, and put in it a poem of your own
writing! It's not about it being high-class poetry - it's about
the poem being from your heart, and intended solely for the
heart of your true love.
Ireland
The Irish love music. Whether it's singing in a bar, fiddle
playing during an evening dance, or folk songs in the
countryside, the green island rings with raised voices. Head
out with your Valentine to a club and listen to your favourite
music, and join in the fun!
France
The French have an entire culture based on love and romance.
These weren't things reserved for just one day! Valentine's Day
would involve you and your sweetheart renewing your love for
each other, spending time with each other, flirting, laughing,
and enjoying life.
Olde United States
The ways of courting in the US always involved dancing. Long
before movies and fancy restaurants, the youth would head out
to the local barn or dance hall and have an evening of fun and
romance.
Romantic Food
Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, an
aphrodisiac is any food, drink, drug, or scent that is believed
to stimulate sexual desire. Throughout history people have
always claimed that some foods turn them on – even powdered
rhino horn! In ancient times a distinction was made between
something that increased fertility against one that increased
sex drive. It wasn’t just the taste –shape and appearance also
mattered. These were also used as a remedy for various sexual
anxieties including fears of inadequate performance.
The ancient list included anise, basil, carrot, salvia,
gladiolus root, orchid bulbs, pistachio nuts, rocket (arugula),
sage, sea fennel, turnips, skink flesh (a type of lizard) and
river snails.
The no-nos on the ancient list were dill, lentil, lettuce,
watercress, rue, and water lily.
The best-known aphrodisiacs today are oysters, chocolate,
champagne, figs and caviar. Casanova, renowned as a great
lover, supposedly ate 70 oysters a day. Oysters, of course, are
a rich source of zinc which is involved in sperm production, as
well as having a role in wound healing and the immune system.
Other foods high in zinc and linked with sexual performance
that are worth a mention are pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and oats.
Chocolate contains substances similar to those we produce when
we’re in love so, when timed correctly, chocolate has the
potential, to say the least, to be a wonderful aphrodisiac.
Aphrodisiac food in the recipes below
The Romans documented oysters as an aphrodisiac food in the
second century A.D as mentioned in a satire by Juvenal. He
described the wanton ways of women after ingesting wine and
eating "giant oysters
Honey was the base of many medicines in Egyptian times
including cures for sterility and impotence. Medieval seducers
plied their partners with Mead, a fermented drink made from
honey. Lovers on their "Honeymoon" drank mead and it was
thought to "sweeten" the marriage.
The French call tomatoes "pomme d'amour" (love apple) and basil
is said to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility. It is
also said to produce a general sense of well being for body and
mind.
Carrots are believed to be a stimulant to men.
Nutmeg is highly prized among Chinese women as an aphrodisiac.
Fresh pineapple is rich in vitamin C and is used in the
homeopathic treatment for impotence.
Almonds have been a symbol of fertility throughout the ages.
The aroma is thought to induce passion in women.
Asparagus is frequently enjoyed as an aphrodisiac food, due to
its shape. Eat asparagus for three days for the most powerful
affect!
Celery has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac.
The 'heat' in garlic is said to stir sexual desires.
RECIPES
Romantic dinner for two
Start the evening off with chilled champagne and put some fresh
strawberries into the glass – this is a well-known aphrodisiac!
In erotic literature, strawberries are called ‘nipples’
Oysters with Irish black pudding, honey and apple
Champagne chicken, with baked tomatoes and basil and pureed
carrots
Valentine’s Day chocolate cake
Oysters with black pudding, honey and apple
This recipe (and the oyster casserole below) is from Irish
Oyster Cuisine by Máirín Uí Chomáin (published by A&A Farmar).
Although it’s not one you can prepare in advance, it only takes
a few minutes to prepare. The balck pudding (Morcilla) on the
island is quite sweet so would work with this recipe well, but
you may want to cut down on the honey to compensate.
For 2 servings:
4 oysters, drained, juices reserved
25g unsalted butter
2 slices black pudding
2 large slices eating apple, cored but not peeled
2 tablespoons Irish honey
Method
Melt half the butter in a frying pan and fry the black pudding
until crisp on both sides. Remove from the pan and wipe the pan
clean. Fry the apple slices in a mixture of honey and the
remaining butter until golden on both sides and tender but not
soft. Remove the apple from the pan and keep warm. Fry the
oysters until plump and heated through.
To serve: Place an apple slice on two warmed plates. Place a
slice of black pudding on top of the apple and top it off with
the oysters. Dribble the honey butter from the pan around the
plate and serve at once.
Champagne chicken
Method:
Slice 2 chicken fillets into strips and fry in a pan in butter
and olive oil until browned. Pour in just enough stock to
barely cover the meat. Simmer for about 15 minutes until
cooked. While the chicken is cooking, cut a piece of fresh
pineapple into chunks or slices. Add in about a glass of
champagne and a glass of cream, stir and then add salt, freshly
ground black pepper and a good pinch of nutmeg. Bring to the
boil, add the pineapple and simmer until sauce thickens. You
may need to use cornflour to thicken. Serve with a small amount
of basmati rice.
Valentine’s Day Cake
Although this looks very complicated, it’s not really. It keeps
for a couple of days in the fridge so you can make it the day
before. If you’re not good at moulding marzipan, get someone to
help you. You can make real almond paste – use icing sugar as
it’s easier to mould – or buy marzipan. The recipe is from
Ultimate Chocolate by Patricia Lousada
Ingredients:
180g plain or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
180g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated
140g caster sugar
60g ground almonds
30g plain flour
pinch salt
pinch cream of tartar
For the chocolate marzipan
2 tblsp cocoa powder
4-5 tblsp boiling water
875g marzipan
For the decoration
3 tblsp apricot jam melted with 1 tblsp water and sieved
(apricot glaze)
chocolate marzipan roses and leaves
Method
Grease and line a 20cm/8inch heart-shaped tin. Preheat the oven
to gas 4/180ºC/350ºF (160ºC fan oven).
Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir in the vanilla.
Whisk the egg yolks with 90g of the sugar until pale and thick.
Stir in the warm chocolate mixture, followed by the almonds,
flour and salt. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar
until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and
continue to beat until the whites are stiff.
Fold a large spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mixture
to lighten it. Carefully fold in the remaining whites. Put the
mixture into the tin and bake for about 1 hour or until a
skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake
in the tin on a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the cake
from the tin and remove the paper.
Blend the cocoa with enough boiling water to make a smooth,
stiff paste. Allow to cool, then knead it into the marzipan.
Wrap it in clingfilm if not using straight away.
To assemble the cake
Put the cake on a cake board and brush it all over with apricot
glaze. Set aside one-third of the marzipan. Roll out the rest
on a surface lightly dusted with cocoa to a circular shape
about 26cm/10½inch across. Carefully pick up the marzipan over
the rolling pin and lay it over the cake. Smooth it gently over
the top and sides of the cake. Trim the edges. Make roses and
leaves with the remaining marzipan.
Dinner with friends
Asparagus roasted with orange juice
Connemara oyster casserole, braised celery, pineapple side
salad
Valentine’s Day cake (see above)
Asparagus roasted in orange juice
450g medium asparagus, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and white pepper to taste
Orange sauce
300ml orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Zest of 1 orange
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 6/200ºC/400º(fan oven 180º)
Toss the asparagus in olive oil; place in low-sided pan in
single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12
minutes, or until a fork pierces stalk easily.
For sauce:
Bring orange juice to boil; cook until reduced by half. During
last minute of boil add lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and rose
water. Pour juice over asparagus. Sprinkle with zest.
Yield: 4 servings
Connemara oyster casserole
Ingredients
12-16 oysters, shells removed, juices strained and reserved
4-5 large potatoes, peeled
4-5 bacon rashers, rinds removed
600ml oyster juices and cream, combined
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tblsp parsley, chopped
25g butter, cut into small cubes
celery salt or salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
110g fine breadcrumbs
225g Cheddar cheese, grated
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200ºC/400ºF (180ºC fan oven).
Grease a medium-sized casserole dish. Bring the potatoes to the
boil in a saucepan, cover and simmer until cooked through,
about 15 minutes. Drain, allow to cools lightly and slice. Set
aside.
Grill the bacon until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and
cut into small pieces. Heat the oysters in a saucepan in their
own juices until they are plump and the edges curl. Remove from
the heat and set aside. Allow the juices to cool and then
combine with the cream.
Put half the potatoes in a layer on the bottom of the casserole
dish. Add half the bacon, onions, parsley and cubes of butter.
Season with salt, pepper and a little of the garlic. Add the
oysters in a layer. Add the rest of the bacon, onions, parsley
and butter. Season again and finish with the rest of the
potatoes.
Pour the oyster juices and cream to come three-quarters way up
the dish. Sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs and cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden and the dish
is heated right through.
To serve – sprinkle some sprigs of parsley on top.
Enjoy with love!
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Happy Valentine's Day
Are you
inviting people to your home but don't want to be bothered
with all the hard work involved?