Although feeding your lover certain foods to unleash libido dates to ancient times, there's no scientific proof to support the power of aphrodisiacs. But since most researchers agree that sex drive responds to suggestion via the placebo effect, why not have a little fun with your menu on Valentine's Day?
We suggest a little arugula salad with toasted pine nuts, followed by oyster stew, breadsticks and papaya slices.
Oysters are perhaps the best-known food thought to stimulate the amorous appetite, as first documented by the Romans in the second century A.D. Oysters are high in zinc, which is rumored to improve sexual potency in men.
Pine nuts also are rich in zinc and have been used in love potions since medieval times. Arugula leaves, mentioned as an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D., are commonly available in supermarket produce sections. The supposedly stimulating effect may be why the Italians call arugula "garden rocket."
Papaya has compounds that act like the female hormone estrogen, and papaya has long been a folk remedy for increasing the female libido. Fresh papaya can be found in groceries, but it's more often available jarred in the produce section (sometimes as part of a tropical-fruit medley).
As for the breadsticks, the most discreet way to justify their place in our Valentine menu is that the ancients believed what a food looked like was as important as the nutrients it contained.
Of particular value was any food that resembled, well, you get the idea. Finish off this lovely feast with fine chocolate and a sip of champagne and you're guaranteed an evening of earthly delights.
Menu suggestion: Our Oyster Stew
Arugula salad with toasted pine nuts
Breadsticks
Chocolate
Our Oyster Stew
Start to finish: 10 minutes
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 small onion (for 1/4 cup diced)
1 pint fresh shucked oysters (see Cook's note)
1 quart whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper or more to taste
1 cup oyster crackers
Paprika, to taste
Cook's note: Look for cans of fresh-shucked oysters in the fresh-seafood section of the supermarket. If you can't find fresh oysters, substitute two cans (8 ounces each) of oysters with their juice. You will not need to saute the oysters in step two. Just add the drained oysters to the pot once the soup is hot.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a 41/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Meanwhile, peel and dice the onion, adding it to the pot as you dice. Cook until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
While the onion cooks, drain the oysters, reserving the liquid. Pick through the oysters to remove any pieces of shell. Add the oysters to the pot, and cook just until the edges begin to curl, about 11/2 minutes. Pour the reserved oyster juice into the pot through a strainer to remove any grit. Add the milk, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring constantly, just until the soup is heated enough to serve, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, and stir.
Divide among four shallow soup bowls, and top each serving with about 1/4 cup oyster crackers. Sprinkle very lightly with paprika to garnish. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings (The recipe can be cut in half and leftovers refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
Approximate values per serving: 406 calories (54 percent from fat), 25 g fat (14 g saturated), 132 mg cholesterol, 18 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 862 mg sodium.
Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross are co-authors of "Desperation Dinners!" (Workman, 1997), "Desperation Entertaining!" (Workman, 2002) and "Cheap. Fast. Good!" (Workman, 2006). Contact them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. Or visit the Desperation Dinners Web site at www.desperationdinners.com. © Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross. Dist. by United Feature Syndicate Inc.