Love food

Caviars [Photo by Fan Zhen/China Daily]

Caviars are rare fish roe, mainly harvested from sturgeons, but just as often now from salmon or trout. There is something sexy about spooning such expensive babies into your mouth and popping the tiny eggs as you press tongue on palate. There is a reason why they are known as "Aphrodite's pearls".

These salty shots of pure flavor have entranced gourmets since the times of the Roman orgies, along with nightingale tongues.

When buying caviar, remember the "boss" word, an acronym for Beluga, Osetra, Sevruga and Schrencki, the most well-known varieties. The last category is farmed caviar, now produced in China, from the clear clean waters of Dongjiang River and Qiandao Lake, and it is of such quality that top chefs like Nobu and Yannick Alleno have endorsed it.

What is the best way to serve caviar? Indulgently, and chilled well.

The classic way is to serve the whole jar surrounded by its traditional condiments of finely chopped onion, sieved hard-boiled eggs, sour cream and very thin triangles of Melba toast.

But try my method of using caviar to garnish a prawn salad, or make an easy but rich mushroom soup swirled with sour cream and topped with a large scoop of caviar. It will create a symphony of flavors like Beethoven's Fifth.

If you are more into assembly, try topping a single cold fat perfect oyster on the half-shell with a tiny scoop of caviar. No cooking required, and it will taste even better if you personally deliver it to your partner's waiting lips.

Oysters, too, are reputed aphrodisiacs, probably because they remind us of Venus rising from the sea. Venus, Aphrodite - whatever you call her, she's the goddess of love.

The wine of choice to go with either caviar or oysters must be champagne, that celebratory sparkler that puts the twinkle into the eager lover's eye. They don't call it the ambrosia of the gods for nothing.

Choose your favorite label, or indulge in a bottle of sparkling ice wine made from the last frozen grapes on the vines. Ice wines are for pampering occasions and none is more suitable than a dinner for two on Valentine's Day.

There is also chocolate or strawberries, both very necessary props for getting in the mood for love. Better yet, combine chocolate and strawberries. I'll give you the recipe.

But the most important ingredient for a Valentine's Day dinner is ambience. It starts with a phone call, a text message or even an e-mail, a little epistle of love and invitation that creates anticipation. That should be your first course.

Then, prepare the stage. Scent the room with a soft musk that suggests romance, and remember that overdoing it may create a pong instead. Choose lavender, musk or sandalwood oil on your candles or incense.

Next, prepare the flowers. You don't have to invest in a huge bunch of hothouse roses. Little nosegays tucked away with short messages of dedicated devotion may do the trick better - next to the plate, in the bathroom, or maybe under the marital pillow.

What's love without music? And here's where your intimate and superior knowledge takes over. Music should be wallpaper noise, a subliminal message of romance and love in the background.

Add the final ingredient (you) and you have the perfect recipe of love. Remember, you can practice this all year round.