From starter to dessert, here are our best recipes and tips for a romantic summer dinner worthy of the name.
Aphrodisiac foods
Since the dawn of time, cooking and love have always been closely linked. Many foods, such as cocoa, oysters or ginger, have been recognized for their aphrodisiac properties, allowing, among other things, to increase desire. Some of these aphrodisiac foods have seen their reputation created since the Aztec civilizations, or more recently during Ancient Greece. So no need to look any further, for a romantic meal, we turn to them to be sure that the passion is there.
An equally important presentation
On the table, in addition to candles, romantic music in the background, or thousands of rose petals, we take care of the presentation of our dishes. An important step when it comes to pleasing you and your other half. Unlike meals for large families, we rely on recipes served in individual portions, which certainly require more work in terms of presentation, but which thus suggests that a real effort has been made. This is a thoughtful little touch that will make all the difference.
The perfect summer menu for a romantic dinner
As a starter, let yourself be tempted by a cherry tomato tart tatin and ricotta ice cream. An easy recipe to make, but one that is sure to impress your partner, notably thanks to the hot-cold combination, which is out of the ordinary, in addition to the rather original yogurt ice cream. Without forgetting red, which is the color of love and passion par excellence, and that comes at the right time, since like cherry tomatoes, most seasonal products shine with their scarlet colors. When serving, place a slice of pie on each person’s plate alongside a scoop of ricotta ice cream, for a more personal and thoughtful look.
As a main course, head to la dolce vita with this essential of Italian cuisine: linguine with vongole. Shells and crustaceans have, since the dawn of time, held the ranking of aphrodisiacs both in terms of their symbolic appearance and their nutritional composition. And what could be more romantic than a getaway to the south of Italy on the theme of la dolce vita? The flagship dish of summer, vongole pasta is a bonus and very simple to prepare. Don’t forget to disgorge the clams in advance – the day before or a few hours before the meal, in a basin of salt water.
For dessert, it’s impossible to talk about sweets without mentioning Cupid’s favorite food: chocolate of course! An absolute aphrodisiac since the Aztec civilization, this time it is available in a light mousse based on whipped cream. Here again, we remember to prepare everything in advance, so that the mousse can spend around 4 hours in the fridge before tasting. As for presentation, you can slip everything into individual glasses, or simply insert a small quantity into a bowl, or on a plate, which you arrange nicely using a piping bag.
Cherry tomato tatin, ricotta and olive oil ice cream
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 40 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Cherry tomato tatin, ricotta and olive oil ice cream
Linguine alle vongole
- 4 people
- Level: Easy
- 10 minutes of preparation
- Pretty expensive
- See the recipe: Linguine alle vongole
Dark chocolate mousse made with whipped cream
- 4 people
- Level: Very easy
- 15 minutes of preparation
- Cheap
- See the recipe: Dark chocolate mousse made with whipped cream