When it comes down to a romantic repast, lovingly prepared home-cooked food for valentines day will score you top marks over a characterless restaurant every time.
Just for the record, nobody wants to be greeted by a perspiring, flustered host donning a stain-smattered apron, so pick easy valentines recipes that can be put together calmly in advance, or assembled simply while they wait.
Fill the house with delicious smells. if the oven’s emitting aromas of the “burnt toast” variety, cheat with a scented candle. and don’t forget to make sure there are drinks on hand to welcome your valentine. we’re talking champagne, wine, their favourite spirit, or something posh and fruity for a non-drinker.
If you’re no gordon ramsay, february 14th is certainly no time to pretend you’re a cordon bleu cook. attempting your first beef wellington under the pressure of romantic expectation might just leave you with puff pastry and egg yolks on the ceiling (or on your face). instead, plump for valentines food you feel comfortable cooking.
Most importantly, valentines day dinner recipes should be something you actually like, as obvious as that sounds. if shellfish makes you cringe, grimacing your way through a plateful of oysters won’t make for successful seduction. it’s far better to choose valentine food ideas you both enjoy and prepare it in the best way you can.
still hesitating over a valentines menu? try summoning your inner love god or goddess with some aphrodisiac ingredients…
pep it up 
get the blood pumping around the body with chilli, ginger and garlic, all of which are stimulants that increase the heart rate – perfect for adding a little ooh la la to your valentine’s dinner. mingle them all in an oriental noodle recipe and indulge in some sexy slurping or opt for an energetic dessert with chocolate and chilli or ginger. leave out the garlic, though.
oysters
just ask casanova. he supposedly devoured 50 for breakfast each morning – a true debauched dining experience. they’re legendary aphrodisiacs, thanks to their minerals, their lusciously squelchy, soft, silky-smooth texture – or their expense.
asparagus
back in the 19th century, bridegrooms were fed this naughtily-shaped pencil-sized veg because it was believed to have potent ingredients needed for healthy hormone production, including a healthy dose of vitamin e. so aside from its phallic shape, the real secret to asparagus is its rich aphrodisiac nutrients. this seductive valentine’s food is best enjoyed lightly grilled with a soft-boiled egg for a simple starter. just try not to laugh while you’re eating.
nuts
oh, behave… it’s a known fact that almonds, cashews, pine nuts and sesame seeds are zinc-rich foods which stimulate the libido and aid fertility. try it with pesto, bacon and gnocchi in a simple pasta dish. the potato gnocchi absorbs the gorgeous flavours of pesto while the bacon can be prepared quickly and easily.
chocolate
creamy, meltingly sweet and rich, we don’t need a lot of science to convince us that chocolate’s an aphrodisiac. it contains the mood-lifting chemical phenylethylamine, which the body releases naturally when it’s in love as well as dopamine to make you feel happy and calm. sod the science – just give us a bar now!
gonedigging does pretty well in the realm of personalised valentine’s gifts. they’ve everything from love books to engraved jewellery and plenty more in between. hop online to www.gonedigging.co.uk to find out more.
