St Valentine is the name of several saints of whom the most celebrated are two martyrs whose festivals fall on February 14th, both belonging to the reign of the Emperor Claudius. It is also the day when sweethearts are supposed to be chosen.
Today everyone sends Valentine's Day cards to their nearest and dearest, as well as prospective sweethearts. Whatever, it's a great excuse to get those cash tills ringing.
Compile special Valentine's Day menus with two or three courses at a set price and give the dishes romantic names. You can create a romantic Valentine's Day meal with Padley's, 734, range of heart shaped Butterfly Chicken Steaks. Available in four varieties (Plain, Cajun, Lemon & Pepper, Garlic & Herb). Recipe ideas include Connection Francaise - Lemon Butterfly Steak with garlic new potatoes, vegetables and walnuts; New Orleans Soul - Cajun Butterfly Chicken Steak with Jambalaya or Eastern Promise - Cajun Butterfly Chicken Steak with spiced cous cous and fruit kebabs.
Caterplan, 735, the foodservice business of Unilever Bestfoods UK, has devised a special Valentine's Day menu using products from the Knorr Collezione Italiana range and desserts with products from the Ambrosia range. The menu is Smooth and Sexy Spread (Smoked Salmon Spread), Steamy Rendezvous (Ravioli con Funghi with Creamy Pesto and Leek Sauce) and Wicked Delight (Tiramisu).
3663's Smart Choice, 736, offers a range of ready-made meals which can save preparation time such as Cod in Butter Sauce, Chicken and Bacon Fusilli and Vegetable and Coconut Curry.
Desserts are big news for Valentine's Day promotions and chances are your customers won't need much persuasion to tuck into a luxurious dessert. For example, 3663, 737, offers an array of sumptuous pre-cut desserts including Passion Cake, Frolicking in Fudge and Chocolate Fudge Cake.
Masterfoods, 738, offers a host of recipe ideas for romantic desserts such as Simply M&Ms, Warm Fudge Cake with Mars Ice Cream and Toffee Sauce and M&Ms Pavlova.
If you want to create your own indulgent puds for Valentine's Day, Kluman and Balter, 739, provide a comprehensive range of chocolate ingredients such as real Belgian chunks, drops, nibs, granules and croissant bars.
Nestlé's, 740, branded mousses can be served in a jiffy. Simply whisk the mix with milk, add the pieces of confectionery and pour into dessert cups before chilling. The desserts combine chocolate mousse with pieces of confectionery. Three varieties are available: Smarties, a chocolate mousse with Mini Smarties, Crunch, a chocolate mousse with Crunch crisp cereal pieces coated in milk chocolate, and Cappuccino, a chocolate mousse with Cappuccino flavoured pieces. Available in 1.1 to 1.25kg packs, each pack makes seven litres of chocolate mousse, equivalent to 70 x 100ml portions and has a shelf life of 12-18 months.
For after dinner chocolates, perhaps as a free Valentine's Day promotion, how about small chocolate gifts from Bendicks, 741, such as New Bendicks Special Milk Mint Chocolates and 'Lots of Love' Praline Hearts?
Although it's Valentine's Day, some of your customers may have to drive their loved ones home and so not may wish to get too pilsed, so how about suggesting Clausthaler, 742, the low alcohol pilsner?
Decor and table settings greatly contribute to the romantic atmosphere. Decor Style, 743, offer a whole host of designs to match romantic settings.
Choose a small rose display to offset the table setting, and decorate the room with: valentine party hats, heart garlands, cupid cut outs, cupid silhouettes, plastic cherubs, red roses, tissue hot air balloon, heart/lip decorations, napkins - red and white and red candles.
Horny delights
Here's the recipe for the starter Smooth & Sexy Spread (Smoked Salmon Spread) which serves 10.
Ingredients
200g (7oz) Cream Cheese
75g (3oz) Smoked Salmon Trimmings - finely chopped
1/2 tsp Knorr Tarragon Herb Paste
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp Hellmann's Mayonnaise
Freshly ground black pepper
White and brown bread
1. Blend all of the ingredients together except the bread. Cover and chill.
2. Cut the bread into heart shapes, using a pastry cutter.
3. Bake in the oven until golden brown or grill on both sides until crisp and golden.
4. Serve the spread in a little dish accompanied by the toasts.