V-Day is upon us.

For most people, Valentine’s Day is tinged with a bit of dread. It can be brutal for those who are single,  and highly stressful for those who are in love, as well. But, it doesn’t have to be that way at all.

My advice is to ditch the stress and get back to basics.

Valentines Day began in ancient Rome as a lusty Pagan fertility rite called Lupercalia, which took place on February 15th.  The festivities were wild and raucous, commencing with the ritual sacrifice of goats, followed by virile naked young men wearing the fresh goat skins as loin cloths running through town, wantonly lashing the townspeople with straps of goat skin.  Newly married women happily submitted to the lashings in order to receive the blessing of fertility.

This merry mayhem was followed by a great feast, after which a lottery was held to match up available young couples for the following year. Lupercalia was eventually cannibalized by the Catholic Church, and February 14th - Valentines Day (named after St. Valentine, the patron saint of love and lovers) was born.

A section of my V-Day Bouquet from Tony

As a married woman who is very much in love, I treat Valentines Day as an opportunity to celebrate love and re-ignite existing passions.  A private evening of romance, and an aphrodisiac infused picnic is excatly the type of setting  Eros, himself, would devise.

The idea is to keep it low key, incredibly sensual, ultra seductive, and entirely stress-free.

Following the jump is my recipe for a magical evening of hedonistic indulgence.

aroma

Wash a fresh set of sheets and scent them with a lusty fragrance or favorite scent during the last few minutes in the dryer (vanilla, musk, rose, jasmine, gardenia, cinnamon, ginger blossom, and sandalwood are fine choices).

Place fresh flowers in the room ( orchids, gardenia, roses, anthuriums, ginger blossoms, tuberose, freesia or peonies are sensual and romantic)

Scent the room with incense or a diffuser, using a lusty scent that inspires you.

Scatter rose petals.  Or, mint leaves.  Or, whatever turns you on.  Caution: Some botanicals will leave a stain on fabric (i.e. sheets, duvet covers, etc.).  I absolve myself of all responsibility, but I will say that I have never experienced permanent stains from flower petals or herbs, as they always come out in the wash (I use Shout - fyi, it is one of the only non-green products I use, and I absolutely swear by it).  However, I wouldn’t sprinkle red rose petals on an heirloom white bedspread, either.  So, use good judgment.

sound

Prepare some mixed CD’s or MP3 play lists of your favorite inspirational music, or pop a few favorite discs in the CD changer.  If certain nature sounds appeal to you, use those.

vision

Give your boudoir, living room, or any room(s) you will be enjoying, a quick makeover. Tidy up, and get rid of those piles of clothes and papers, etc., and add some sexy touches.

Place a table cloth on the bed, or on the floor, and toss some decorative pillows about for your picnic.

If you have a fireplace, use it.

Light plenty of candles and lose the electric light.

Put on something sexy and tantalizing, and put your best side forward.

Another fun option is to inhibit this sense in order to enhance the others, by using a blindfold.

taste

Create a sumptuous picnic of your favorite delectable treats based on this list of edible aphrodisiac ingredients.  My suggestion is to choose light foods that won’t weigh you down, and to keep it light on the alcohol for the same reason.

Here is my menu for the perfect aphrodisiac infused Valentines Day picnic at home.

Champagne on Ice and Bellinis

Tsar Nicolais Caviar with Blini (for canapes), Creme Fraiche, Shaved Hard Boiled Egg, and Chopped Chives

Hog Island Oysters on the half shell with Ginger Mignonette (recipe to follow)

Poached Lobster Tails (Update: I poached 4 tails - split and cleaned - in 1 1/2 lbs of unsalted butter sprinkled with sea salt, in a large, covered saucepan on low heat - flesh down - basting occasionally until just cooked, and turned them over to finish them off for a minute or two, basting some more.  They were melt in your mouth tender and needed nothing else.)

Strawberries, Bananas and Pineapple served with Whipped Cream and Melted Chocolate

Michael Recchiuti Chocolates: Rose Caramel, Lavander-Vanilla, Jasmine Tea, and Cardamon Nougat

This Valentines Day, every single item on my menu is an aphrodisiac, except the creme fraiche for the caviar canapes.  I don’t believe in wasting space.

If you want a smaller menu for a fast, hot rush of lust, you can rarely go wrong with a simple serving of Bellinis and canape - especially if that canape is loaded high with caviar.  Wham! Bamm!!

You are welcome.

Recipe for Ginger Mignonette:

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

1 tsp Shallot- finely chopped

1 tsp Ginger - minced

1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

A Pinch of Sea Salt

Method

Combine and serve.  Can be prepared in advance and chilled.

touch

Since the roots of Valentines Day are steeped in adventure, it seems highly appropriate  to seek out new sensations.  While goat skins and lashings may be a bit extreme for many, there are other props available to help spice things up for this lascivious affair.  And in this economy, some might find it sexy that you need not spend money on them, either.  I mean, you can.  Oh, believe me, you can spend a lot of money on toys.  But, you don’t have to.

Most people have a complete adult sensory toy box in their kitchen, and they don’t even realize it.  Think about it:

Oils.  Syrups.  Honey.  Ginger.  Cornstarch.  Paintbrush.  Ravioli Cutter.  Rolling Pin.  Twine.  Ice.  I could go on all day.

Have fun, let loose, and play.  Indulge in your sense of touch like you never have before!

The point is to focus on the experience and each other, and to leave the stress behind.  So, don’t push the limits beyond what is mutually enjoyable.  And, by all means, have a good time!

If you want to keep it simple, the Kama Sutra Tantric Lovers Game is just wonderful.  I am crazy about this game, and look forward to playing it again this Valentines Day weekend!  It is a fantastic way to explore your sense of touch, while learning more about yourself and your partner.  Mui Caliente!

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If this all sounds lovely, but you really do prefer to go out to a nice restaurant to celebrate, consider making reservations for February 15th, rather than stressing out over restaurant reservations for February 14th.  Restaurants will have more openings, the chef and staff will be less harried, the experience will be more pleasant, and the food will be better, as well.

Dining out on Valentines Day is entirely over-rated, believe me.  It is absolutely one of the very worst days of the year to experience a restaurant.  Service declines dramatically, everything is rushed, prices are inflated, and the menu is generally limited to one or two prix fixe options, which have been mass-prepared in a lackluster fashion by a staff that doesn’t want to be there.  In other words, it will fail to be a truly fine dining experience, let alone a magical evening of romance.  You can do better.

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If you happen to be single and you have read this far, you definitely deserve a reward.  And, what could be sweeter than a night of sheer indulgence and self pampering?

Pick up, or order in, your favorite foods, pour a refreshing elixir, and spoil yourself like never before.  Whether your idea of a good time is a long soak in the tub and spa treatments, a stack of movies, a good book, video games, or a massage, make it a special evening to remember.  You deserve it!

And, if you are a single looking to meet someone new, why not go out on February 15, in honor of Lupercalia?  Perhaps old Pagan traditions will manifest in a match for the following year, or longer…

Happy Valentines Day!!!

XOXOXOX,

~ Paula

Follow these links for more recipes with aphrodisiac ingredients:

Easy Raspberry Bavarian Cream

The Lemon Sorbetto Cocktail

Artichoke Chevre Salad

Caramelized Pineapple Brown Butter Tart

Pasta with Radicchio, Pancetta and Walnuts

Crispy Prawns with Spicy Aioli

Crab Canapes with Puff Pastry, Smoked Salmon Canapes with Caviar, and Bellinis

Arugula Salad with Proscuitto-Wrapped Figs

Pasta Pomodoro Fra Diovolo with Shrimp

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips

Pink Roses and Rose Petal Jelly

Bourbon Pecan Tart with Shortbread Crust

Tangy Spicy Beef Ribs

Pumpkin with Mascarpone and Pecan Pralines

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Hearts of Palm Salad

Braised Deckle of Brisket - 2 Ways

Shrimp and Grits

Shepherd’s Pie