Blakes Launches Aphrodisiac Menu for Lovers
Jan 17 2012Blakes Launches 'Aphrodisiac' Menu for Lovers
This Valentine’s Day Blakes restaurant at Liverpool’s Hard Days Night Hotel has combined its culinary expertise with science and history to create an ‘aphrodisiac’ menu for food lovers. On Tuesday 14th February Blakes will be serving up a six-course candlelit dinner, with each option featuring ingredients known for their aphrodisiac properties.
The meal will begin with a gift of a long stem red rose and an ‘Amuse Bouche’ to get the tastebuds tingling before moving on to a selection of starters including the crab and avacado tian with bloody mary dressing and petit herb salad.
Head Chef Robert Mangan said: “A lot of thought has gone into this menu to make it as special and indulgent as possible. Crab meat, like oysters, contains high levels of zinc which is a known stimulant for the prostate, whereas the reputation of avocado as an aphrodisiac dates back to 200 BC when it was reportedly used by the Mayans and Aztecs to enhance sexual desirability.”
An intermediate of mojito sorbet will follow before main course options include poached plaice fillets with crayfish, prawn and saffron linguini.
Robert continues: “Saffron was widely believed to be an aphrodisiac in the 19th century. It goes without saying that something as rare, expensive and exotic as saffron excites the senses.”
Dessert follows with chocolate and raspberry cardinals with pistachio tuille and chocolate and chilli sauce and baked passion fruit cheesecake. This year diners will also be treated to an additional sharing course of vanilla pot with chocolate sauce served with strawberries, marshmallows, almond cantucci, bananas and Viennese fingers.
“Chocolate has been revered throughout history for its association with passion and desire, whereas strawberries are shaped like little edible hearts and were the symbol of Venus, the mythological goddess of love. Bananas, on the other hand, are a Hindu sign of fertility and are rich in potassium and B vitamins, necessary for the production of sex hormones.”
The hotel also serves a selection of romantic cocktails in its cocktail bar, Bar Four, including the aptly named Love is All You Need. Containing strawberries, raspberries, rosé Champagne and honey–infused vodka, this cocktail has also been thought about at length for its romance-inducing qualities:
“The history and mythology surrounding honey is almost as rich as its taste. Cupid was known for dipping his arrows in honey before shooting them at unsuspecting lovers. This cocktail is perfect as an apperitif to your meal or as a delicious night cap.”
Robert added: “Couples can also have a John and Yoko style bed-in with our overnight package which includes a bottle of Champagne on arrival, late checkout, breakfast in bed and two souvenir champagne flutes. What more could you ask for?”
Blakes Valentines Day Menu is priced at £42.50 for six courses. The full Valentines’s Day menu is available to view at www.harddaysnighthotel.com
Advance reservations can be made by emailing blakes@harddaysnighthotel.com or by calling 0151 243 2121.
For further press information please email : natalie@thinkpublicity.co.uk