A Valentine's Dinner for Two Inspired by the Greek God of Love

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Greek recipes for a romantic occasion from aphrodisiac cookbook author Diane Brown

Cupid gets all of the attention for Valentine’s Day. Of course, we identify this lover’s holiday with his cherubic image. But his Greek counterpart, Eros, is rarely as iconic. That’s why I’ve created this Greek Valentine’s dinner for two inspired by Eros.

Now, you won’t find his name used in a Hallmark card poem, or as the title of a dating website. His name doesn’t show up as a new dance craze or the title of a movie, alas, it’s considered too obscure. In the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the provincial father cites that Greek is the root of all words. If everything that is original is Greek, what happened to Eros?

How to plan a romantic dinner at home inspired by the Greek god of sexual desire

Eros is, after all, the Greek god of love. But he is also the god of sexual desire. He was worshiped as a fertility god and believed to be a contemporary of the primeval Chaos, which makes Eros one of the oldest gods. And so to me, nothing makes more sense than to create a romantic dinner at home from a menu of Greek recipes.

Eros, like Cupid of Roman mythology, is depicted as a young winged boy, with his bow and arrows poised to shoot into the heart of gods or mortals, rousing them to desire. Eros’ arrows were said to come in two types: golden with dove feathers that aroused love, or leaden arrows which had owl feathers that caused indifference. That’s why I call this dinner my Greek Golden Arrow menu.

What’s on this menu for this Valentine’s dinner for two?

Invite the Greek golden arrow into your Valentine’s Day or any romantic dinner with these Greek menu ideas celebrating Eros. Serve your darling this romantic menu including a trio of luscious, light Greek salads, all infused with ingredients noted as potent aphrodisiacs. And then choose your moment wisely to let it slip that this romantic dinner menu was inspired by the Greek god of sexual desire.

Why a menu of lighter fare, you might be wondering? Can a trio of salads really feed your hunger (or fuel sexual hunger)? These dishes may not create a traditional three-course meal for two. But what they also won’t create is the sleepy fullness you sometimes get from eating a rich dinner. I believe that a Valentine’s Day dinner recipe should be easy to prepare and not too filling.

Light dishes, like the trio of nibbles I propose for this Greek dinner, will give you energy from nutrient-dense ingredients like bulghar and chickpeas. But because the meal is lower in fat than a traditional animal protein-based dinner, you won’t suffer the effects of your blood rushing to your stomach to digest heavier foods. (After all, you need your blood pumping with desire and sending just the right tingle to the erogenous zones. This is a dinner of seduction!)

Add an aphrodisiac cocktail

Don’t forget to stir up an amatory cocktail – but don’t overserve yourself or your partner. My romantic cocktail for this Greek-themed dinner is called, of course, The Aphrodisiac. And it is potent with aphrodisiac pomegranate. But take note that although delicious, it is also potent with alcohol and overindulgence can impair performance in the bedroom.

The sexiest way to serve this dinner

Want to make this romantic dinner for two even sexier? Serve the whole meal sans utensils, using your hands to dip, lick and sup. Feed your darling a loving bite, and bring Eros to life. But these romantic dinner recipe ideas don’t have to be reserved for Valentine’s Day. In fact, your love might feel even more special if you plan an Eros-themed dinner for two as a surprise to spice up an ordinary weekend. So whenever you use this romantic dinner menu, may the love arrow of Eros hit its mark!