Sexy food and cocktails for Valentine's Day
Friday 06 February 2009
Take two parts testosterone, one part dopamine, one part oxytocin and a dash of serotonin. Shake vigorously with ice, strain into a large tumbler and serve.
Perhaps not quite what you had in mind for a night of passion with your Valentine, but trust me it’s a heady mix and might just do the trick.
Confused? Girls, testosterone is not just for the boys - we produce it too!
Only about one fortieth of what they pulsate with admittedly, but from a behavioural point of view we are more sensitive to its effect and it is essential for sexual functioning and enhanced libido.
Dopamine is commonly associated with the pleasure system of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and increased desire. This hormone is released during rewarding experiences such as those associated with food and, of course, sex.
Oxytocin is better known for its role in enabling us to give birth and breastfeed but recent studies have suggested it may influence those feelings of bonding and trust that are so important in a relationship.
Serotonin regulates mood and is sometimes referred to as the ‘happy hormone’. Let’s face it, you are unlikely to even want to get involved in a night of passion if you are feeling low so the happy hormone has to be included in the cocktail.
Please note, I am NOT advocating pills, patches or supplements here, rather the consumption of foods that naturally increase the production of these hormones to get you in the mood and heighten the desire between you and your partner.
So what foods boost these levels and more importantly, how might you include them on the menu for love?
Hormones are derived from proteins and essential fats so these are a must but to get them firing on all cylinders they need the help of certain vitamins (A, C, E and the B vitamins) and minerals (zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, potassium and selenium) and a good helping of energy-rich carbohydrates.
Foods that tick the boxes include:
Eggs, caviar, dark chocolate, popcorn, avocados, strawberries, mangoes, papayas, figs, blackberries and raspberries, bananas, rye bread, brown rice, almonds, pine nuts, sesame seeds, cream, cheese, sea bass, tuna, prawns, spinach, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, watercress, asparagus, garlic, tomatoes, herbs and spices (especially ginger, saffron, tarragon, nutmeg and basil).
Here are a few suggestions which are quick and easy to shop for and prepare:
* Fresh giant prawns painted generously with garlic butter and grilled
* Slices of mango and papaya or whole strawberries dipped in melted dark chocolate - chocolate is rich in a chemical called phenylethylamine, which plays a vital role when we fall in love and feel passion
* Tear a few chunks of creamy buffalo mozzarella, scatter some basil leaves and lots of baby tomatoes around, sprinkle with a few sea salt flakes and black pepper and drizzle with olive oil
* Boiled eggs and ‘soldiers’. Try boiling a few quails eggs, peel them and hoover them with a cocktail and a bowl of salted almonds while you are putting the other delicacies together in the kitchen!
* Lastly, if you are both into the ‘food thing’, why not experiment with fish? If you’ve never tried grilling sea bass fillets with a load of sea salt crystals on top you are in for a treat! The sea salt crystals brown (almost burn) on top and when you peel off the skin the fish is soft, succulent and perfectly cooked. Serve with steamed spinach and a few steamed baby potatoes tossed in butter
Try one of these cocktails:
Black Crush
* 1 oz Absolut Raspberry
* 1 oz lemon/lime juice mixed with 1 oz sugar
* 6 mint leaves
* 3 blackberries
* Soda water
* Smash the blackberries and mint leaves in a shaker, add the lemon/lime juice and sugar and mix well.
* Add ice and vodka and shake vigorously.
* Strain into a glass, add a splash of soda water and decorate with fresh blackberries and mint leaves
Bloody Mary
* 1 oz Vodka
* Fresh tomato juice
* A dash of celery salt
* A dash of ground black pepper
* A dash of Tabasco
* 2- 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
* A teaspoon of fresh horseradish
* A dash of lemon or lime juice
Chocolate Martini
* 1 oz Chocolate liqueur
* 2 oz Vodka
* Chocolate syrup
* Cocoa powder
* Dip the rim of the cocktail with cocoa powder
* Coat the inside of the glass with chocolate syrup
* Pour in 2 oz Vodka. Top up with 1 oz chocolate liqueur
For more information go to www.fionakirk.com