Valentine Food Fantasies : What is the food of romance? : Spice for the Lovelorn

There’s almost no food that isn’t considered an aphrodisiac in some part of the world. Still, you never know when you’ll need a little help, so here’s a list of the more common culinary ways of testing fate.

Herbaceous salads: Mache, arugula, radicchio, basil, mint leaves.

Garlic: Put it on your breath or around your neck--or better yet, rub it on a salad bowl, a roast or steak. Or simply roast the bulb whole to serve as a buttery spread for toast.

Love apples (also known as tomatoes): Use for garnishing, eating or squirting at you know whom.

Passion fruit: Squeeze them for juice the morning after.

Artichokes: Pluck off the leaves at the table. “He loves me, he loves me not. . . .” Serve with or without dips or flips.

Figs: Eat them fresh or dried, out of hand.

Oysters: Follow the lead of Casanova, who consumed 50 daily, or Louis XIV, who ate them by the dozen--no doubt piled high on a plate, drizzled with a squeeze of lemon or lime, sucked off the shell and polished off with a flute of Champagne.

Blood oranges: Serve a single blood orange on a plate with a knife. Peel the orange carefully and remove the segments, piece by piece, with your fingers.

Strawberries: Dip in white or dark chocolate, sour cream sweetened with brown sugar, a pool of Framboise liqueur or glass of Champagne.

Asparagus: Steam just till bright green and chill; serve with a garlic sauce.

Deviled bones: Buy them at a favorite rib joint. Serve them piled high and dig in. Fingers only, please.

Ice cream: The creamier the better.

Maraschino cherries: To top off the evening.

Rose Champagne: Dom Ruinart Pere et Fils rose is one brand you might like. Iron Horse makes a brilliant and rare rose sparkling wine too, if you can find one.

Crustaceans: Clams on the half shell, with cranberry or any other chutney; lobster thermidor; shrimp scampi-style; scallops with Champagne sauce; caviar on toast points.

Mushrooms: Any edible type, size, shape or color. Put them in a basket or saute them to serve on the side with steak or a roast.