February: The Month of Love
© Jennifer A. Wickes
February: The Month of Love
by Jennifer A. Wickes
copyright 2005
February is known as the Month of Love, and as most of us know, Valentine's Day is on the 14th! Flowers, candy, candlelit dinners for two... I remember when I was single, being an unromantic romantic, I did not need flowers or candy or romantic dinners, but when there was no "certain someone", then for some reason, this day can be brutal for the single person! The history of Valentine's Day is a bit shaky. The day was indeed named after Saint Valentine, though there were three of them. One story suggests that an ancient Roman Emperor, Claudius II, believed unmarried men made better soldiers, so he banned young men from marrying. Valentine, a priest, felt this was an injustice to young lovers and performed marriages in secret. When Claudius II found out about this, Valentine was ordered to death! Then, there is Cupid! He was the God of Love in Roman Mythology; his mother was Venus. There is a story where Venus was jealous of the beauty of a mortal, named Psyche. Venus sent Cupid to punish Psyche for her good looks, but Cupid fell in love with her instead. Colors are often associated with this month. Red has often been associated with sex and passion, and pink with love. Certain foods have also been known to help stimulate love within us. Some of these food items are:
Apples
Avocados
Basil
Cherries
Chile Peppers
Cinnamon
Chocolate
Cilantro
Garlic
Oysters
Pineapples
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Vanilla
Other foods have been associated with sex! Some of these items are:
Asparagus
Bananas
Barley
Blackberries
Carrots
Coffee
Eggs
Grapes
Rice
Rum
Sweet Potato
Here are some ideas on what I like to eat on this special day:
Start off your evening with this drink. In Bermuda, there is a wonderful place called the Swizzle Inn that makes the most wonderful Rum Swizzle. Here is a recipe:
Rum Swizzle
6 ounces rum -- light brown
2 ounces rum -- black
1 ounce apricot brandy
juice of 4 limes -- or lemon
1 1/2 ounces honey
4 dashes bitters
Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and add crushed ice. Churn vigorously until a frothing head appears. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Yields: 4 servings
Then, as an appetizer, try these little gems:
Guacamole Stuffed Tomatoes
2 pints cherry tomatoes -- stemmed
3 avocado -- skinned and pitted
8 ounces cream cheese -- room temperature
1 tablespoon sweet onion -- very finely minced
1 tablespoon garlic -- very finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice -- strained
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
by Jennifer A. Wickes
copyright 2005
February is known as the Month of Love, and as most of us know, Valentine's Day is on the 14th! Flowers, candy, candlelit dinners for two... I remember when I was single, being an unromantic romantic, I did not need flowers or candy or romantic dinners, but when there was no "certain someone", then for some reason, this day can be brutal for the single person! The history of Valentine's Day is a bit shaky. The day was indeed named after Saint Valentine, though there were three of them. One story suggests that an ancient Roman Emperor, Claudius II, believed unmarried men made better soldiers, so he banned young men from marrying. Valentine, a priest, felt this was an injustice to young lovers and performed marriages in secret. When Claudius II found out about this, Valentine was ordered to death! Then, there is Cupid! He was the God of Love in Roman Mythology; his mother was Venus. There is a story where Venus was jealous of the beauty of a mortal, named Psyche. Venus sent Cupid to punish Psyche for her good looks, but Cupid fell in love with her instead. Colors are often associated with this month. Red has often been associated with sex and passion, and pink with love. Certain foods have also been known to help stimulate love within us. Some of these food items are:
Apples
Avocados
Basil
Cherries
Chile Peppers
Cinnamon
Chocolate
Cilantro
Garlic
Oysters
Pineapples
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Vanilla
Other foods have been associated with sex! Some of these items are:
Asparagus
Bananas
Barley
Blackberries
Carrots
Coffee
Eggs
Grapes
Rice
Rum
Sweet Potato
Here are some ideas on what I like to eat on this special day:
Start off your evening with this drink. In Bermuda, there is a wonderful place called the Swizzle Inn that makes the most wonderful Rum Swizzle. Here is a recipe:
Rum Swizzle
6 ounces rum -- light brown
2 ounces rum -- black
1 ounce apricot brandy
juice of 4 limes -- or lemon
1 1/2 ounces honey
4 dashes bitters
Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and add crushed ice. Churn vigorously until a frothing head appears. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Yields: 4 servings
Then, as an appetizer, try these little gems:
Guacamole Stuffed Tomatoes
2 pints cherry tomatoes -- stemmed
3 avocado -- skinned and pitted
8 ounces cream cheese -- room temperature
1 tablespoon sweet onion -- very finely minced
1 tablespoon garlic -- very finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice -- strained
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
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