Food has long been associated with love and affection. Throughout history, humans have used food as a way to communicate. Gods have been offered the best of the harvest. Holidays are celebrated by gathering and feasting on the finest foods. And we often save the best bits of food for special loved ones. In this tradition, Valentine’s Day has become an influential food holiday.
Valentine’s Day began as the Feast of St. Valentine and is an official religious holiday in some communities, such as the Lutheran church. Beginning around the 14th century, the day took on more secular significance as a show of affection for loved ones in the form of gifts, including flowers, food, candy, and love notes. To this day, those gifts remain a Valentine’s Day tradition.
Today, some also believe that certain foods have the power to charm your lover, including supposed aphrodisiacs like chocolate, bananas, cherries, whipped cream, avocados, and oysters. No matter what you cook and eat on Valentine’s Day, sharing food is an expression of love. So we’ve put together some of our favorite recipes to help you celebrate this romantic holiday in style. This Valentine’s Day, let these recipes nourish you in both body and soul.
