So much has been said about the importance of food and how it can be utilised to signify love. The most common of the sayings is probably: “The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”…….so is this true? Can you impress your loved one with food? With Valentine’s Day round he corner, we thought we’d look into this and make some suggestions.
Dr Gary Chapman’s “The Five Love Languages”, has been the Number 1 New York Times Bestseller for 8 years running, so we can safely assume that he knows what he is talking about. Dr Gary Chapman pinpoints five languages of love (ways to demonstrate to someone that you love them). These are identified as Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.
Quality Time
Eating together gives couples the perfect opportunity to spend quality time together, to get to know each other better and to strengthen and deepen their relationship.
Giving and Receiving Gifts
The act of putting thought into selecting a gift for someone you care for shows a level of care.
Words of Affirmation
“This tastes incredible!”, “Oh My God that’s yummyare different ways to show affirmation. It’s easy to utilise positive affirmations when good food is around!
Acts of Service
Anything you do for someone else will show a level of care, and preparing a meal is the perfect example to demonstrate that you have put time and effort to give the other person something that will make them happy.
Physical Touch
Sharing of food is the perfect excuse for physical touch. Nothing beats the intimacy of sharing food. Add to that the aphrodisiac properties of certain foods and you have a recipe for success in the love department.
Although food has NOT YET been officially recognised as one of the love languages, as you can see, food is by default, the sixth language. So, the long and short of it is, when it comes to showing someone how much you care for them over Valentine’s Day, make sure that you include food! And at the Catering Centre we have all the tools you may need to prepare that perfect meal.
Below are some ingredients that we would recommend for you to include to make your Valentine’s Day meal truly a memorable one
Oysters
Long suspected as a love drug, oysters enhance dopamine levels. This boosts libido levels in both men and women.
Chocolate
Cacao contains a chemical known as phenylethlamine. This important substance is known to stimulate the sense of excitement and wellbeing.
Asparagus
Asparagus is known to be high in a B vitamin. Vitamin B helps the production of histamine (which is important for a healthy sex drive in both men and women).
Basil
The scent of basil has long been associated with arousal. Women actually used to rub basil powder and oil on their skin to attract men.
Cinnamon
While cinnamon has been proven to have many benefits, cinnamon oil has also been shown to improve cognitive function. That means that you can stay more focused on and so, be more attentive to your loved one.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate juice is a potent natural aphrodisiac due to its ability to increase testosterone levels.
Vanilla
In the 18th century, vanilla was prescribed doctors as a way to increase male potency.
Celery
Eating celery increases the pheromone levels in a man’s sweat, making them more attractive to women.
Strawberries
Strawberries are often linked with romance and there’s plenty of reasons why (starting with the fact they look like little bright red hearts!) Next to chocolate, they are also one of the most widely known aphrodisiacs (hence pairing them together is so common!).
Check out some amazing recipes for Valentine’s Day here:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/199/holidays-and-events/valentines-day/
https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/g2155/valentines-day-recipes/
