Food for Love
Definite fragrances are inclined to appeal to desires. There are some foods that are shaped just so… We talk of the top 5 aphrodisiac ingredients and recipes, that are apt for Valentine’s Day
Shakespeare famously said “If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it.” (Twelfth Night). But cultures around the world have long known that food itself can be the food of love – certain spices, condiments, fruits and other culinary items have the property of heightening the pleasures of love.
Here are five ingredients to spice up your love life this Valentine’s Day.
THE SWEETNESS OF LOVE
The word ‘aphrodisiac’ comes from Aphrodite, the ancient Greek Goddess of Love. Chocolates are universally acknowledged as the quintessential food of love, a tasty aphrodisiac. So what better gift than chocolates for the love of your life!
THE TASTE OF LOVE
Ever wondered how the term ‘honeymoon’ came into being? Historians tell us of an age-old custom where couples were given mead, a drink made of fermented honey, for a month before their wedding day, to ensure fruitful marriage.
THE HEART OF LOVE
Mother Nature shaped the strawberry into a perfect little red heart, and the early Romans saw it as a symbol of Venus, the Goddess of Love in their pantheon. The association transcended geographic boundaries, and in the French countryside, there was a long-held custom of offering newly-married couples cold strawberry soup to ensure that they had a romantic honeymoon.
THE ESSENCE OF LOVE
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Vanilla may be ‘plain’ in comparison with some of the exotic flavours that are now available, but there is something undeniably sweet and innocent, and therefore erotic about its aroma.
FLOWERS OF LOVE
India has its own favourite aphrodisiacs. The tradition of giving a newly-married couple a drink of milk infused with saffron is centuries old. Modern medical science has shown that saffron has a positive effect on neurotransmitters, and is especially beneficial for
women.
Certain spices, fruits, condiments and other culinary items have the property of heightening the pleasures
of love.
SEEDS OF LOVE
Fenugreek is another ingredient that Indians believe has an effect on love life. Its properties include lowering blood pressure.
“The act of eating together is a binding experience. It helps forge new bonds and strengthen old ones. Nothing speaks of love quite as much as food, does. Our team of Master Chefs and Mixologists at The Lodhi, New Delhi have curated a special menu for this special day, showcasing an array of flavours from around the globe paired with the finest beverages.” says
Vijay Thapliyal, Executive Chef of The Lodhi, New Delhi.
Serving: 2 portions
INGREDIENTS
Duck Leg: 2nos Rosemary: 5gms Thyme: 2gms Garlic: 5gms Cinnamon: One pinch Fenugreek: 2gms Sea Salt: To taste
Oil: ½ ltr Butter: 300gms
METHOD
● Marinate the duck leg with rosemary, thyme, sea salt, crushed garlic, fenugreek and cinnamon, and let it rest overnight.
● Place the overnight marinated duck leg in a stock pot with butter and oil. Cook over very slow flame at 75 to 80 degree for 3-4 hours.
● Take out the duck leg from the oil in a perforated tray and let the excess oil drain. Refrigerate the duck leg for 2-3 hours.
● Scrape off most of the fat. Then cook skin side down in a large, heavy non-stick skillet over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is crisp and duck is heated thoroughly.
● Serve hot with your choice of grilled vegetables.
Whenever Shanmugam Shankar decides to do a film, it leaves film buffs, industry and trade across India excited.
This time, the maverick filmmaker will collaborate with Ram Charan to direct a breezy entertainer, which is set to be produced by Dil Raju.
Undoubtedly, this could arguably be one of the biggest projects that hog the limelight in recent times.
Talks about a possible collaboration between Charan and Shankar have been on for quite some time, which finally gained momentum and materialised recently. Although more details are awaited about the kind of film this is going to be, it seems it will be a typical Shankar flick.
According to a source, as the makers want to make this a pan-India film, the subject will have a universal theme.
The source adds, “Ram Charan has already had some five to six meetings with the filmmaker earlier, and he is kicked about the project. It’s not a quintessential commercial entertainer. One can brand the project as an inspirational slice of life film and it falls right in the alley of the projects Charan is looking forward to.”
The project is expected to start after Charan wraps up RRR and Acharya.
The talks about a possible collaboration between Charan and Shankar have been on for quite some time, which finally gained momentum and materialised recently