Romantic Meals
We all know the saying that the way to a man’s heart
is through his stomach. It may sound cheesy but there’s some truth in it –
food can lead to some of the most romantic moments of your life and a shared
meal can be one of the most sensual appetizers to a night of passion, and
can really put some sizzle back into your relationship.
The Aphrodisiac route
This is a tried-and-tested one. No one really knows if it works, but it’s
certainly worth a try. Oysters are said to have magical powers, but be sure
they are squeaky fresh. The same, apparently, goes for tuna steaks. And
snails. Truffles shaved over poached eggs can work wonders, and anything
chocolate for pudding. Finish with a strong cup of coffee. Caffeine is an
aphrodisiac. More important, it will keep him awake.
You might be forgiven for thinking the aphrodisiac effect relates strongly
to the cost of the ingredient. But since the psychological reaction to food
is mostly to do with its sensuous smell and look, a much cheaper bowl of
pasta in a wonderful sauce that you can spoon into your beloved’s mouth
could be far more effective. Precede it with a trout mousse he can lick off
your finger and follow with a bowl of chilled grapes (seedless – you don’t
want him spitting at you) that you languidly peel as you feed them to him.
The Color Route
For a menu where everything is red, begin with smoked salmon. (Nerves will
make you spill tomato soup down your front.) For something different, add a
sauce of sour cream with chopped fresh dill and a teaspoon of horseradish
whisked in. Dribble it over the fish in the shape of a heart, and serve with
warmed-up ready-made blinis.
For the main course, close the kitchen door, turn the extractor on full and
over a medium high heat on a ridged grill pan, grill two lamb chops each
that have been marinating all day in olive oil, the juice of a lemon and
some chopped fresh rosemary. Cook three minutes each side for a rosy
interior. Lay them back to back on a plate to resemble a heart, with a salad
of red radicchio and shavings of raw fennel.
Finish with a scoop of raspberry sorbet served in a Martini glass with a
shot of raspberry eau-de-vie poured over.
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