VALENTINE'S DAY (February 14) is the time to indulge in romance and what better way to set the scene than with a seductive meal. Those determined to play Casanova for the night will obviously consider a dinner packed with aphrodisiacs.
For a seduction meal that would do Casanova proud, start with candlelights and a bottle of champagne. Casanova served bubbly to all his new conquests so that they should fall into his web. But have a few glasses at most. A moderate amount of alcohol will reduce anxiety and release inhibitions, but too much and the sedative effects will soon dominate. As we learn in Shakespeare's Macbeth, '[alcohol] provokes and it unprovokes; it provokes the desire but it takes away the performance'.
When trying to decide on what to start with, the waiter might recommend Spanish fly. 'These will really get you going,' he will whisper with a wink. Before you order the dish, make sure you are aware of the risks. These are not actually flies, but small emerald-green beetles. They are ground into a fine, dried powder and when taken orally or applied to the male member, produce an itching, burning sensation that may lead to arousal. The side effects? Permanent damage to the genitals and kidneys and, in extreme cases, even death.
In 1772, the Marquis de Sade laced some aniseed sweets with Spanish fly and offered them to some prostitutes. To his horror, there was no aphrodisiac effect. Instead the girls became seriously ill and the Marquis was tried for poisoning.
A much safer option is oysters. They have such a reputation as an aphrodisiac that during the 17th-century, offering an oyster implied that you were offering more than just something to eat. Casanova is said to have eaten 50 raw oysters every morning in the bath together with his lady of the moment.
The oysters' powers are best experienced when eaten on the half shell. In this state, the oyster is most reminiscent of key body parts. If the sheer visual effects of oysters do not suffice, then consider the nutritional benefits: they are low in fat and high in complex sugars and proteins. More important, though, oysters are loaded with zinc, which is said to increase secretions in both men and women. Another reason for the popular perception of the aphrodisiac qualities of oysters - as well as other seafood - could be that such food generally is light. You do not end up so overstuffed that you under-perform.